5 Cheese Holiday Macaroni And Cheese

Ingredients you’ll need:
1 [16 oz] box cavatappi pasta [See Cook’s note]
1/2 cup [1 stick] butter, plus 3 Tbsp for the topping
1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 tsp dry mustard
1 1/2-2 tsp salt
1/2-1 tsp white pepper
5 cups whole milk, plus additional if needed
2 cups shredded asiago cheese
2 cups shredded Italian sharp white cheddar cheese
2 cups shredded fontina cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese divided

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Spray a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with butter flavored cooking spray.  Cook the cavatappi pasta in boiling salted water per the instructions on the box, until al dente.

While the pasta is cooking, grate the asiago, Italian sharp, fontina and mozzarella cheeses, into a medium size mixing bowl.  Pre-shredded cheeses are a great time saver, but, they are much drier than freshly grated cheese.  For this special dish, I choose to go the extra mile.  Toss together until they are evenly combined.

In a medium size stove top pot, melt 1/2 cup butter [1 stick] and add the flour stirring to form a roux.  Add the salt, pepper, dry mustard and white pepper.  Cook on medium heat for about 1 minute.

Slowly add the milk, whisking constantly,  The roux tends to stay around the edge of the pot, so be certain to incorporate all of the roux so your sauce will thicken.  Add the milk gradually.  After the mixture comes to a boil test the thickness.  [Add more milk 1/2 cup at a time only if the sauce needs to more thinning.] After all of the milk has been added, gently bring to a boil stirring constantly. Lower the heat and simmer on low  for 4-5 minutes until the flour has completely cooked and the sauce is creamy and thick.  Next, stir 1/3 of the grated cheese mixture into the sauce as well as 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese.

Drain the pasta well, then add it to the sauce.  If your pot isn’t big enough, pour everything into a large mixing bowl to mix.  Stir until the pasta is evenly coated.

Pour 1/2 of the pasta  into the prepared baking dish.  Sprinkle 1/3 of the grated cheese mixture evenly over the first layer.  Pour the rest of the pasta into the dish and sprinkle with the final 1/3 of cheese.

To make the buttered crumbs:  Remove the crusts from two slices of bread.  Pulse in a food processor until it becomes fine crumbs.  Mix with 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese and three tablespoons of melted butter.  Sprinkle on top before baking. Sprinkle the Parmesan breadcrumbs on top and place into the preheated oven.

Bake for 30-35  minutes until golden and bubbly.  Serve hot.  Yield: 10-12 servings

Cook’s note:
Cavatappi pasta has ridges that allow the sauce to really cling to the pasta.   If you can’t find it, you could substitute any pasta with ridges such as a mini penne, or ziti.

Print

5 Cheese Holiday Macaroni And Cheese

Servings 10 -12

Author Melissa Sperka

Ingredients

• 1 [16 oz] box cavatappi pasta [See Cook's note]
• 1/2 cup [1 stick] butter plus 3 Tbsp for the topping
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 2 tsp dry mustard
• 1 1/2-2 tsp salt
• 1/2-1 tsp white pepper
• 5 cups whole milk plus additional if needed
• 2 cups shredded asiago cheese
• 2 cups shredded Italian sharp white cheddar cheese
• 2 cups shredded fontina cheese
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese divided

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with butter flavored cooking spray. Cook the cavatappi pasta in boiling salted water per the instructions on the box, until al dente.
2. While the pasta is cooking, grate the asiago, Italian sharp, fontina and mozzarella cheeses, into a medium size mixing bowl. Toss together until they are evenly combined.
3. In a medium size stovetop pot, melt 1/2 cup butter and add the flour stirring to form a roux. Add the salt, pepper, dry mustard and white pepper. Cook on medium heat for about 1 minute.
4. Slowly add the milk, whisking constantly, The roux tends to stay around the edge of the pot, so be certain to incorporate all of the roux so your sauce will thicken.
5. Add the milk gradually. After the mixture comes to a boil test the thickness. [Add more milk 1/2 cup at a time only if the sauce needs to more thinning.]
6. After all of the milk has been added, gently bring to a boil stirring constantly.
7. Lower the heat and simmer on low for 4-5 minutes until the flour has completely cooked and the sauce is creamy and thick.
8. Add 1/3 of the grated cheese mixture into the sauce as well as 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese.
9. Drain the pasta well, then add it to the sauce. If the pot isn't big enough, pour everything into a large mixing bowl to mix.
10. Stir until the pasta is evenly coated.
11. Pour 1/2 of the pasta into the prepared baking dish.
12. Sprinkle 1/3 of the grated cheese mixture evenly over the first layer.
13. Pour the rest of the pasta into the dish and sprinkle with the final 1/3 of cheese.
14. To make the buttered crumbs: Remove the crusts from two slices of bread. Pulse in a food processor until it becomes fine crumbs. Mix with 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese and three tablespoons of melted butter.
15. Sprinkle the Parmesan breadcrumbs on top and place into the preheated oven.
16. Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden and bubbly.
17. Serve hot.

Recipe Notes

Cavatappi pasta has ridges that allow the sauce to really cling to the pasta. If you can't find it, you could substitute any pasta with ridges such as a mini penne, or ziti.
.