Ingredients
1/2 c. panko bread crumbs
2 tbsp. melted butter
1/4 c. freshly grated Parmesan (2/3 oz.)
12 Ritz crackers, crushed
6 c. cold water
1 tbsp. kosher salt
8 oz. farfalle
1 c. evaporated milk
3/4 c. reserved pasta water
1/2 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper
2 oz. Velveeta, cubed
1/3 c. freshly grated Parmesan (3/4 oz.)
1 c. shredded white cheddar, divided (3 oz.)
1/4 c. shredded Fontal or Fontina (1 oz.)
Preparation
Step 1Preheat oven to 400°. In a medium bowl, stir together panko, crushed Ritz, panko, Parmesan, and melted butter until panko is completely saturated by butter.Step 2In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, combine cold water, salt, and pasta. Heat until water is steaming heavily, stirring occasionally until just half-cooked and still very, very al dente, 7 minutes total heating time. Reserve 3/4 cup pasta water, then drain pasta and shake off water well.Step 3Return medium sauce pan over medium heat and bring evaporated milk, reserved pasta water, and black pepper to a boil. Add in Velveeta, ⅓ cup Parmesan, ⅔ cup cheddar, and Fontina. Remove from heat and stir until smooth.Step 4In a small casserole dish, layer noodles and remaining ⅓ cup cheddar, then pour cheese sauce over. Stir gently to immerse noodles in sauce, then top evenly with panko mixture. Step 5Bake until topping is golden, 8 to 10 minutes.Step 6Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Mise it out. As soon as pasta hits the water, residual heat and moisture will continue to cook and bloat the pasta even after draining. This is why it’s super important to get all of your ingredients ready and measured out before you start the first step of the recipe, to minimize carryover cooking. Use a sturdier pasta. I used farfalle in my version, but as long as you stay away from tubular pastas that trap water inside (yes, that includes the classic elbows), you’re safe from the soggy, gummy noodles of your nightmares. In testing, gemelli was too al dente, but other thicker, flatter cuts like orecchiette would work well. A disclaimer: if you switch out pasta shapes, boiling time will vary. Just make sure to test the noodles by biting into one: there should still be a solid band of white, raw pasta in the middle half of the noodle when you drain. Undercook the pasta. This recipe calls for a special method of bringing cold water, salt, and pasta up to heat together, and pulling from the heat way before you think you should. I’m not talking al dente levels of toothsomeness here—it’s literally half raw when I drain the hot water away, which should not even come up to a full boil. It may seem too crunchy to be right, but please, trust me on this! After draining, be sure to shake the water off super well to avoid too much carryover cooking and bloating of the noodles. Pasta water. As I learned from my high school crush, Alton Brown, the starchy water from cooking pasta “is magical stuff” that thickens up sauces. Its subtle sweetness balances out the salty cheeses and eliminates the need for a roux. Good, standard white cheddar (and Velveeta)! When it comes to comfort food, there’s no need for fancy ingredients. Expensive, aged cheddars resulted in macs that were overly salty, somewhat grainy, and slightly bitter. Cabot Vermont cheddar—available at most grocery stores— works great. As for Velveeta, you simply can’t beat the ultra-processed sweet and creamy magic it lends: containing more lactose than milk, it’s perfect for marrying with saltier cheeses. Drown the pasta in a light, liquid cheese sauce. This is basically the second stage of cooking for the half-raw farfalle. The sauce might seem excessive in amount and too soupy to begin with, but again, trust me on this! It is crucial in conjunction with the next and final tip: Let the baked mac rest. This recipe calls for 10 minutes of resting time before you dig in. In testing stages, several individuals noted that the pasta was still too al dente when eaten straight out of the oven. I like my noodles a little bouncier than most others, so I prefer to dig in at around 5 minutes in. But if you’re more normal and like that classic, softer bite, 10 minutes is the magic number. This will give time for the pasta to absorb even more of the cheese sauce up and to finish cooking to the perfect texture. If you’ve made this mac recipe, I’d love to know your thoughts on it! Please leave us a comment below. If you’re a mac fanatic, try out these 40+ homemade macaroni and cheese recipes!
