Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Priprava

Sestavine

Postopek

Korak za korakom

1. 1

   Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) and grease a 2-quart baking dish.

   Približno 2 min

2. 2

   Cook the elbow macaroni in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package directions until al dente.

   Približno 10 min

   Kuharjeva opomba: Slightly undercooking the pasta will prevent it from becoming mushy after baking.

3. 3

   Drain the cooked macaroni well using a colander and set it aside.

   Približno 1 min

4. 4

   While the pasta cooks, melt the sauce butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.

   Približno 1 min

5. 5

   Add the finely chopped onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes until softened and translucent.

   Približno 4 min

6. 6

   Whisk in the all-purpose flour and cook for one minute, stirring constantly, to form a roux.

   Približno 1 min

   Kuharjeva opomba: Cooking the flour for a minute removes its raw taste.

7. 7

   Gradually pour in the milk while whisking continuously to prevent lumps.

   Približno 2 min

   Kuharjeva opomba: Using warm milk can help the sauce come together more smoothly.

8. 8

   Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook, stirring often, for 5-7 minutes until it has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon.

   Približno 7 min

9. 9

   Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the salt, ground black pepper, and Dijon mustard.

   Približno 1 min

   Kuharjeva opomba: Removing the sauce from the heat prevents the cheese from becoming grainy or separating when you add it.

10. 10

    Add the grated cheddar cheese in batches, stirring after each addition until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth.

    Približno 2 min

11. 11

    Add the drained macaroni to the cheese sauce and stir until everything is evenly coated.

    Približno 1 min

12. 12

    Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread it out evenly.

    Približno 1 min

13. 13

    In a small bowl, combine the panko breadcrumbs with the melted topping butter and mix until the crumbs are well-coated.

    Približno 1 min

14. 14

    Sprinkle the buttered breadcrumbs evenly over the macaroni and cheese.

    Približno 1 min

15. 15

    Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the sauce is bubbling around the edges.

    Približno 25 min

16. 16

    Let the baked macaroni and cheese rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow the sauce to set slightly.

    Približno 5 min