Mac & Cheese (The Fancy Kind)

Ingredients

Directions

1. 1. Preheat oven to 350°. Melt 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add ¾ cup panko and cook, stirring, until crumbs are golden brown, 6–8 minutes (make sure to get them toasty brown; they won't darken much during baking). Transfer to a small bowl and toss with ¼ oz. Parmesan, finely grated (about ¼ cup), 2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves, and ¼ tsp. Diamond Crystal or Morton kosher salt.
2. 2. Cook 8 oz. cavatappi or other short curly pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente (the noodles will continue to cook in the cheese sauce, so take them out a minute or two before you think they're actually done). Drain pasta; let cool while you make the sauce.
3. 3. Bring 2½ cups whole milk to a bare simmer in a small saucepan; keep warm over very low heat. Melt remaining 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high. Add ½ small onion, grated, and 1 garlic clove, finely grated, to the melted butter and cook, stirring, until onions are fragrant and beginning to soften, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour over and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture starts to stick to bottom of saucepan, about 1 minute. Add warm milk in a few additions, whisking to combine after each addition.
4. 4. Bring béchamel sauce to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, stirring, until sauce is thickened and doesn't feel grainy when a little bit is rubbed between your fingers, 6–8 minutes (cooking the flour thoroughly at this stage ensures a creamy sauce). Add 4 oz. Fontina cheese, grated (about 1 cup), 4 oz. Gruyère, grated (about 1 cup), 4 oz. sharp white cheddar, grated (about 1 cup), ½ tsp. English mustard powder, pinch of cayenne pepper, and remaining ¾ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt and stir until cheeses are melted and sauce is smooth. Remove from heat and mix in pasta; transfer to a 2-qt. baking dish.
5. 5. Bake 10 minutes. Top with Parmesan breadcrumbs and bake until sauce is bubbling around the edges, 8–10 minutes longer. Let cool in pan 15 minutes before serving.