In case you were wondering, cavatappi is simply “corkscrew pasta” so yes; this is essentially a recipe for macaroni and cheese. But who doesn’t like taking something ordinary and making it gourmet? I like to think of this recipe as a more fanciful, sophisticated version of the classic comfort food. It is an adaptation of a Barefoot Contessa recipe; I have only changed a few measurements. It is a little complicated, but not at all difficult. Feel free to skip steps like grating the cheese if you prefer to buy it already grated or wish to save time. I think this dish is elegant enough to serve guests and it sure was a nice treat for a Monday night dinner this week!
Ingredients
2 c. cavatappi
3 c. grated cheese (I used 2 c. Gruyere and 1 c. mild cheddar but feel free to use any combo of your favorite semi-soft cheese)
2 c. milk
¼ c. flour
5 T. butter
¼ t. ground nutmeg
1 t. kosher salt
¼ t. pepper
5 slices white bread, crusts removed
1. To prep: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Boil pasta for 6-8 minutes, drain, set aside. Meanwhile grate 3 cups of chosen cheese, set aside. In a food processor, process bread into crumbs, set aside.
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| Beautiful little spirals |
2. Over medium heat, melt 3 T. butter in a large saucepan. Meanwhile, heat milk in the microwave on full power 2-3 minutes or until piping hot but not boiling. Whisk flour into butter stirring constantly for about 2 minutes. Add hot milk to butter and flour mixture. Allow mixture to thicken slightly over heat about 3-4 minutes.
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| This is also known as a roux, a common base for many french sauces. |
3. Add grated cheese, nutmeg, salt, and pepper to mixture and stir until almost completely melted. Add pasta and stir to combine.
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| Mixture will thicken while baking. |
4. Melt remaining 2 T. butter and combine with breadcrumbs. Pour pasta mixture into a 9X11 inch baking dish, top evenly with breadcrumbs, and bake 25 minutes on 375 or until crust it brown and bubbly.
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| Bread crumbs combined with butter to form thick crumbles. |
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| Voila! |
