Mac & Cheese - creamy baked pasta with cheese

Grate all cheeses finely and measure the prepared amounts of butter and all-purpose flour.

Preheat the oven to 200 °C if you plan to bake the Mac & Cheese.

Pour 2 liters of water into a large pot, bring to a boil, add 1 tablespoon of salt, and add the macaroni. Cook according to package instructions until al dente, then drain.

In a saucepan, melt 50 g butter, add 40 g of flour and, stirring constantly, make a blond roux (about 1 minute). Then slowly pour in 500 ml of milk and whisk continuously until a smooth béchamel forms.

When the sauce thickens, remove it from the heat and stir in the grated cheddar and gouda (reserve 50 g of cheddar for the crust). Season with salt, add a pinch of nutmeg and ground black pepper to taste.

Add the cooked macaroni to the cheese sauce and mix well. Transfer the mixture into a baking dish lightly greased with butter.

In a frying pan, melt 20 g butter, add the breadcrumbs and toast until golden. Stir in the remaining grated cheddar and evenly sprinkle this mixture over the pasta in the baking dish.

Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 10-15 minutes until the top is golden and crispy. If you don't want to bake, sprinkle the toasted breadcrumb mixture over the pasta and serve.

Serve hot straight from the baking dish, optionally garnish with freshly ground pepper or chopped chives to taste.