Baked Mac & Cheese

Begin with bechamel sauce.

Slowly warm milk in a six quart pot. In a six quart stockpot slowly melt the butter then add onion. Cook until the onion turns translucent. Add the flour, to the butter and onion mixture. Cook this for six minutes. Slowly start adding the warmed milk to the roux one cup at a time. Once all milk is incorporated, add mustard powder, paprika, salt, pepper, nutmeg, white pepper, and bay leaf. Let sauce simmer for 30 minutes. When sauce is done cooking strain through a fine strainer and allow to cool.

Move onto the mornay sauce

In a double boiler warm the Bechamel sauce. When sauce is warm transfer to a blender. Add all cheese to blender and blend until all is incorporated. Return sauce to double boiler and keep warm.

Preheat oven at 500 degrees. Once preheated, place four six inch cast iron pans in the oven to warm them up.

Bring water to boil and cook pasta till al dente.

In large mixing bowl combine the cooked pasta, bechamel sauce, and the gouda.Mix everything. Take hot cast iron pans out and equally divide the mac & cheese in each pan. Place all four pans in the oven and bake for 8 minutes. When mac comes out of the oven place 2 oz. of the mornay sauce on top of each pan. Sprinkle toasted bread crumbs on top and serve.

Serves four