Bechamel Macaroni Cheese Recipes

EGYPTIAN MACARONI BECHAMEL

Steps:

• Prepare pasta according to directions on the box.
• Saute the onion in a little oil over med high heat until soft. Add garlic and saute another 2 minutes.
• Add the ground beef and brown.
• Drain off the fat, return to the stove and add the parsley, thyme, and cinnamon until combined.
• Stir in the can of tomato sauce and simmer over low heat about 10 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and let it cool. Once it has cooled stir in the beaten egg. Set aside.
• TO MAKE THE BACHAMEL SAUCE: In a large saucepan over med-high heat melt the butter. Once melted whisk in the flour until smooth. Keep whisking for 2 minute.
• Now whisk in the milk slowly until all the milk has been added. Keep whisking making sure there are no lumps in it. Add the salt and white and black peppers to your taste.
• Whisk pretty continuously until the milk is almost boiling, but not quite. Now whisk in the thyme and nutmeg (if you want it). The sauce should now be fairly thick.
• Quickly whisk in the beaten eggs. Remove from heat.
• TO ASSEMBLE THE DISH: Mix half the bachamel mixture into the pasta.
• Put half the pasta covered with the sauce into a 9x13 baking dish.
• Now layer the entire meat mixture over the pasta. You can top with a sprinkling on Parmesan cheese if you like.
• Now add the rest of the Pasta to form the top layer.
• Finally, pour and spread the remaining bachamel sauce over the top of the last layer.
• Bake it in the oven at 400 degrees for 45-60 min or until the top is golden brown.
• Enjoy!

BECHAMEL MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Over medium heat in a saucepan, heat the milk with the stock and salt, stirring throughout. Continue to heat the milk mixture over medium heat, and then reduce to low heat once the milk has begun to froth or simmer.
• Next, in a second saucepan, heat the butter until melted. Stir in the flour. Reduce the heat to low and stir until well incorporated. Remove from the heat when it is a pale tan color (a blond roux).
• Once the roux has thickened, slowly stir into the milk mixture to blend. Continue to stir over low heat until well incorporated. Finally, remove from the heat and whisk in the cheeses. Once mixed, add the pasta, again stir well and serve.

BECHAMEL MACARONI & CHEESE

Steps:

• For the béchamel: Heat the milk in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until it just comes to a simmer, then turn off the heat and set aside. In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk constantly until the mixture turns light brown in color, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat. While whisking constantly, slowly add the hot milk to the flour mixture until evenly combined and smooth. (It will get very thick when you first add the milk, then thin out.) Return the saucepan to medium-high heat and while whisking constantly, cook until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in 1 tablespoon of the salt, taste, dry mustard, and add the remaining salt as desired. Remove from the heat and set aside. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until it's almost al dente (just on the edge of being underdone), then drain and rinse with cold water; set aside. (If you plan to top the mac 'n' cheese with panko and bake it, heat the oven to 400°F and arrange a rack in the middle.) Place the reserved saucepan of béchamel over medium heat and stir in both cheeses just until melted and smooth. Add the pasta and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is heated through and steaming, about 2 to 4 minutes. Serve immediately or, if baking, transfer to a 5-quart baking dish, sprinkle with the panko, and bake until bubbling and brown on top, about 25 to 30 minutes.

MAC SAUCE (BéCHAMEL 101)

Steps:

• Lesson Plan
• Heat the milk in a pot over medium heat until it just starts to bubble, but is not boiling, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat.
• Heat the butter over medium heat in a separate, heavy-bottomed pot. When the butter has just melted, add the flour and whisk constantly until the mixture turns light brown, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat.
• Slowly pour the warm milk, about 1 cup at a time, into the butter-flour mixture, whisking constantly. It will get very thick when you first add the milk, and thinner as you slowly pour in the entire 3 cups. This is normal.
• Once all the milk has been added, set the pot back over medium-high heat, and continue to whisk constantly. In the next 2 to 3 minutes the sauce should come together and become silky and thick. Use the spoon test to make sure it's ready: Dip a metal spoon into the sauce-if the sauce coats the spoon and doesn't slide off like milk, you'll know it's ready. You should be able to run your finger along the spoon and have the impression remain. Add the salt.
• The Mac Sauce is ready to use immediately and does not need to cool. Store it in the fridge for a day or two if you want to make it ahead of time-it will get a lot thicker when put in the fridge, so it may need a little milk to thin it out a bit when it comes time to melt in the cheese. Try melting the cheese into the sauce first, and if it is too thick then add milk as needed.

HOMEMADE MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then add pasta; salt generously and cook pasta to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer to a colander, rinse under cold running water, and drain well.
• Melt butter in a 4-quart pot over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until bubbling but not browning, about 45 seconds. Add milk and whisk to combine. Bring to a simmer, stirring with a wooden spoon (scrape across the bottom and around edge of pot to prevent scorching), until thickened and smooth. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
• Add fontina, Gruyere, Cheddar, and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheeses, stirring until completely melted and sauce is smooth. Season with salt and black pepper, add cayenne and nutmeg, and stir to combine.
• Add pasta to sauce along with white pepper and salt; stir to thoroughly combine. Serve immediately.

GRUYèRE MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• For the béchamel: Heat the milk, onion, and bay leaf in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until steam wisps start to rise from the milk (this is scalding the milk, the stage just before boiling), then turn the heat to low. Meanwhile, bring water to a rapid boil in a large saucepan; salt the water. Add the macaroni, immediately stir with a wooden spoon to prevent sticking, and cook for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• As the macaroni cooks, prepare the roux: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat; then whisk in the flour and cook, stirring, to remove the raw flavor of the flour. Once the mixture is bubbling, turn the heat down to low as it continues to cook, about 5 minutes. Add a pinch of cayenne. Slowly add the scalded milk, whisking vigorously after each addition until sauce is smooth. (Discard the onion and bay leaf.) The sauce will thicken as it heats, so be sure to whisk continuously to avoid burning. When all the milk is incorporated, bring to a simmer again before taking the saucepan off the heat. Drain the cooked pasta thoroughly.
• Whisk the cream into the béchamel and season with salt and pepper. Place the macaroni in a large bowl and add 2 cups of the Gruyère. Pour the béchamel on top and stir well to combine. Season to taste with salt.
• Assemble and bake the macaroni: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Pour macaroni into a buttered baking dish and top with the remaining Gruyère, then sprinkle on the panko and Parmesan. Bake until the top is lightly browned and cheese is bubbly, 20-30 minutes.
• Remove macaroni from the oven and set aside. Chop chives and parsley and garnish before serving.

LAUREN'S MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter bottom and sides of a tall 9-13" casserole dish.
• Boil 4-6 quarts of water in a large sauce pot. Add olive oil and salt, add pasta, stir. Simmer to al dente, about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain immediately and pour into buttered casserole dish.
• While pasta is boiling, cut cheese into 1/2" cubes, stir these into the cooked, drained pasta in casserole dish.
• In same, now-empty pasta pot: melt butter, whisk in flour and salt, cook on high until bubbling for 30 seconds, whisking constantly. Add milk, whisking until smooth. Pour over macaroni and cheese.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes.