Recipe: London Mac and Cheese

London Mac and Cheese
Source: Macaroni & Cheese: 52 Recipes, From Simple to Sublime, by Joan Schwartz

3 cups (3/4 pound) grated white sharp Cheddar cheese
1 cup (1/4 pound) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, or substitute Grana Padano or pecorino cheese
1 pound ziti, penne or short macaroni
3-3/4 cups whole milk
8 tablespoons butter, plus extra for the baking dish
6 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Small pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Kosher salt
Freshly ground white pepper
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, combine the two cheeses and reserve. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat and cook the pasta until al dente, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain and place in a mixing bowl.

In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the milk to a simmer.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter; when it starts to bubble, whisk in the flour. Cook, stirring, for 5 to 6 minutes and then remove from the heat (this is the roux). Whisk in the hot milk all at once. Add the cayenne, nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste. Return the mixture to high heat and cook, stirring, until it comes to a boil and thickens, 2 to 3 minutes.

Reduce the heat to low. Add 2 cups of the combined cheeses to the milk mixture and cook, stirring, until the cheeses have melted completely. Pour the sauce over the pasta in the bowl and mix lightly.

Lightly butter a 3-1/2-quart deep baking dish and sprinkle 1/2 cup of the combined cheeses over the bottom. Cover with one third of the pasta and one third of the remaining cheese. Repeat the layers twice, ending with a layer of cheese. Pour the cream over all, and sprinkle with the bread crumbs. Place on the middle shelf of the oven and bake until the macaroni is bubbling and the crumbs are golden brown, about 30 minutes. Serves 4 to 6