1lb.Pasta shells (penne or elbow macaroni)uncooked
¼cupunsalted butter
¼cupall-purpose flour
1teaspoonsaltplus more to taste
½teaspoonsmoked paprika
½teaspoonground mustard
1tablespoonTruff’s truffle-infused hot sauce
4cupsevaporated milk
2cupssharp white cheddarshredded
2cupsGruyere cheeseshredded
1-2cupsmozzarella cheeseshredded
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Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Cook the macaroni according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Blend in the flour and let it cook for about a minute, allowing the raw flour to cook. Next, stir in salt, ground mustard, smoked paprika, and truffle-infused hot sauce. Cook for another 90 seconds.
Slowly add the milk and/or half and half, stirring constantly to avoid clumps of flour forming. Bring to a simmer and let it simmer for 1 minute, until it begins to thicken.
Remove the saucepan from heat and stir shredded white cheddar and Gruyere cheeses. Stir until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth. Add the cooked macaroni to the sauce and stir until all of the noodles are completely covered in cheese sauce.
Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish and pour half of the pasta mixture into it. Sprinkle more a cup of shredded cheese on top of this first layer. Add the remaining pasta and top with the remaining shredded cheese (mozzarella). Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until the dish is bubbly and golden brown. Broil for a few minutes for an extra golden and crunchy crust.
Notes
I like to use pasta shells for my macaroni and cheese because it collects the cheese sauce on the inside. The ridged shells even help hold sauce on the outsides. Feel free to use your preferred type of pasta - just cook according to the instructions and continue with the recipe as written.
If you don't have the Truff's truffle-infused hot sauce, but have truffle oil instead, see the blog post for an alternative set up instructions for making your baked mac and cheese.
The cheeses in this recipe can be substituted for the cheese(s) you use in your regular macaroni and cheese.
"Any combination of any milk" means that you can use 1%, 2%, whole, heavy cream, evaporated milk, and heavy cream to help create your cheese sauce. If you're short on milk, you can even pick up some of the slack by using chicken stock. This will also add another layer of savory flavor to your mac and cheese.
I like to top my mac and cheese with mozzarella. It melts and browns nicely and adds a subtle salty crust once it's baked.