Name: Ooey-Gooey Macaroni and Cheese
Yield: Serves 8
Ingredients: ½ cup (113 g) butter; ½ cup (70 g) all-purpose flour; 5 cups (1.2 L) milk; 3 Tbsp. garlic powder; 4 cups (120 g) coarsely grated Parmesan cheese; 1 lb (455 g) macaroni shells, cooked according to package directions; 3 cups (240 g) shredded Monterey Jack cheese; 3 cups (240 g) shredded Cheddar cheese

Baked macaroni and cheese in a casserole dish.

Photo by Brittany Conerly

This macaroni and cheese won Time Out New York magazine’s “Best Mac and Cheese” contest back in 2017. It has an awesome, crusty, golden-brown top and the ooey-gooiest center known to humankind. I like using medium pasta shells, which allow the cheese and béchamel to thoroughly coat the outsides as well as really work their way into the nooks and crannies.

This recipe was excerpted from ‘Homage’ by Chris Scott. Buy the full book on Amazon.

Cook's note:

Pouring oil into pasta cooking water is a pet peeve of mine, because nothing will stick to oily pasta, especially not a gooey, slithery cheese sauce. Don't do it here. (Apply oil to other pastas after cooking only, as in the dressing for a cold pasta salad.)

Recipe information

Yield
Serves 8

Ingredients

½ cup (113 g) butter

½ cup (70 g) all-purpose flour

5 cups (1.2 L) milk

3 Tbsp. garlic powder

4 cups (120 g) coarsely grated Parmesan cheese

1 lb (455 g) macaroni shells, cooked according to package directions

3 cups (240 g) shredded Monterey Jack cheese

3 cups (240 g) shredded Cheddar cheese

Preparation

Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Step 2
In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the flour, whisking constantly, until thoroughly combined and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the milk and garlic powder, bring to a boil, and lower to a simmer. Cook until a creamy béchamel forms, 6 to 8 minutes. Turn off the heat and whisk in the Parmesan cheese, stirring until thoroughly combined.
Step 3
Fold the cooked macaroni shells into the béchamel, then pour into an ungreased baking dish.
Step 4
In a bowl, combine the Monterey Jack and Cheddar cheese. Sprinkle evenly over the casserole. Bake for 40 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the top is golden brown.

Reprinted from Homage by Chris Scott with Sarah Zorn, with permission from Chronicle Books, 2022. Photographs © Brittany Conerly. Buy the book from Amazon or Chronicle.