Baked Mac & Cheese with a Crispy Crumb Topping

 
I have to say that I am a real fan of Mac & Cheese.  I have my favorite versions that I make but I confess that when I see a new recipe for it, I am always tempted to give it a go.  Can there ever be too many recipes for Mac & Cheese?  I think not! 
 
This recipe I am sharing today is adapted from one I found in a cookery book entitled Cooking From  A Country Farmhouse by Susan Wyler, which was published in 1993.  Its a great book, filled with lots of lovely recipes.  Nothing outrageous or pretentious.  Just good home style recipes.
 
What intrigued me most about this recipe was the crispy crumb topping.  I always top my mac & cheese with something crisp, either buttered bread or cracker crumbs, but this crumb topping was so much more than that.
 
Sturdy white bread is blitzed together with a shallot, some garlic, parsley and seasonings.  I added a bit of Parmesan Cheese because it has been my experience that a bit of cheese works well in this sort of thing.  This is such a fragrant mixture, and in my opinion, nothing bad could come from it!  This handy Orz Food Power Processor does a great job at prepping the ingredients for the topping.
 
The sauce for the Mac & Cheese is just a simple cheese sauce, with plenty of cheese.  You will want to use a well flavoured cheddar for this.  Choose a strong farmhouse cheddar. I never use died cheddar, only white.  You don't want to skimp on the type of cheese you use here. 
 
This is Mac & CHEESE!  The Cheese is everything!  I also added some Parmesan to the mix.  In my opinion it adds a special something, a certain je ne sais quois!  Also, I cannot stress the importance of grating your own cheese, instead of using already grated cheese.  They add things to already grated cheese to make sure it doesn't stick together. You don't want those things in your Mac & Cheese.  This handy tool makes grating your own cheese a breeze, plus it has a bowl on the bottom to hold your cheese once it is grated.
 
I used elbow macaroni.  It hugs the sauce . . .  but any tubular macaroni would work well, just so long as its not overly large and has some lovely little holes to drink up that rich and luscious sauce.
 
Today I chose to bake it in my iron skillet. 
 
I thought it would make for some lovely crispy edges . . .  I love crispy edges in things. Don't you? 
 
I was right.  Plenty of crisp edges  . . .  and there will be even more when I reheat the leftovers. 
 
Mmmm . . .  fried leftover Mac & Cheese.  If there is anything I like more than the original it is the leftovers heated in a skillet so you get even more crispy bits  . . .
 
So what did I think of this recipe.  I loved this! 
  
With its rich and luscious cheese sauce and that fabulously tasty crumb topping, this spelled WINNER WINNER to me!  I can't wait for the leftovers.
Yield: 6Author: Marie RaynerPrint Recipe
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Baked Mac & Cheese with a Crispy Crumb Topping

prep time: 30 minscook time: 25 minstotal time: 55 minsThe secret to a great Mac & Cheese?  A really great Cheddar!  You want to use a fabulous extra strong Farmhouse Cheddar for this. Worth every penny.

ingredients:

350g elbow macaroni, uncooked (3 cups)3 TBS butter2 TBS plain flour2 clove garlic, peeled and finely crushed480ml whole milk (2 cups)14 tsp salt1/8 to 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper230g strong cheddar cheese (8 ounces)45g grated Parmesan cheese (1/4 cup)2 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
For the Crispy Crumb Topping:4 slices sturdy white bread1 shallot, peeled and choppeda handful of chopped parsley (about 1/3 cup)2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed2 TBS grated Parmesan cheese1/4 tsp salt1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepperpinch cayenne pepper2 TBS butter1 TBS olive oil

instructions:

Make the crispy crumb topping first.  Put the bread
into a food processor along with the shallot, parsley, garlic and
cheese.  Pulse until you have coarse crumbs and everything is well mixed
 together.  Melt the butter together with the oil in a large skillet
over medium heat.  Add the bread crumb mixture, and cook, stirring
frequently, until golden brown and fragrant.  Set aside.
Place a large saucepan of lightly salted water onto the boil.
Melt
 the 2 TBS of butter for the mac and cheese in a saucepan.  Whisk in the
 flour and cook for about a minute. Whisk in the garlic and cook for
about 30 seconds and then slowly whisk in the milk, along with the salt
and cayenne.  Bring to the boil, whisking constantly until smooth and
thickened.  Remove from the heat and whisk in the mustard. Whisk in the
cheese gradually, until melted.  Set aside.
Cook
 the macaroni according to package directions in the boiling salted
water. You want it to be al dente firm. Drain well and then stir the
macaroni into the cheese sauce, mixing well together.
Preheat
 the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5.  Butter a large baking dish.  Pour
 the macaroni cheese into the dish.  Sprinkle the Crispy Crumb Topping
evenly over all. Dot with butter and then bake, uncovered for 20 to 25
minutes, until the dish is bubbling and the top is golden brown.  Let
stand 5 minutes prior to serving.Created using The Recipes Generator
 
It might be a bit of a faff to make the crispy crumb topping, and you could certainly just top it with just plain buttered crumbs, but . . . in my opinion, you would be missing out on something very special indeed!  Bon Appetit!