“Over the top” Mac & Cheese
This is a dish that I started using as a big starch filler for our annual Christmas party last year. The key ingredient was love as I had my 3 daughters by my side, each of them stuffing penne into rigatoni, singing Christmas songs and making it all so easy.
Today as I stood alone in the kitchen I was missing the girls—and their hands, their smiles & their cooking enthusiasm. Then our pals Stew, Tina and Amy walked in and took over the pasta stuffing. I made the béchamel, added the cheese, and in 15 minutes there were 3 casseroles going into the fridge, ready to be baked and served at tonight’s harvest dinner.
Recipe serves over 20 people
Ingredients:
- 2 boxes Penne (DeCecco, Penne lisce #10)
- 2 boxes Rigatoni ( DeCecco, Mezzi rigatoni #26)
- 16 oz Swiss cheese, grated
- 24 oz Gruyer cheese, grated
- 16 oz Mozzarella, grated
- 3 cups, salted butter
- 1 cup A.P. flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
- 4 tablespoons salt