STOUFFERS INSPIRED CREAMY MACARONI AND CHEESE (with Cheddar, Romano and Velveeta, for four)

The Stouffers Company, now known mainly for the frozen dinners carried at your local grocery, once owned a chain of moderately priced, family style restaurants throughout the United States.  Their creamy macaroni and cheese was popular with several generations of children.

salt

1 pound cavatappi or elbow macaroni

½ cup unsalted butter

½ cup all purpose flour

6 cups whole milk

1 pound sharp or extra sharp yellow Cheddar, coarsely grated (5-1/4 cups)

8 ounces Velveeta, torn into pieces

4 ounces Pecorino Romano, coarsely grated (1 cup)

½ teaspoon dry mustard powder

¼ teaspoon onion powder

pinch of ground cayenne

freshly ground black pepper

____________

1.   Heat oven to 350*.

2.   Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season generously with salt.  Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until just past al dente.  Drain and set aside.

3.   Return the empty pot to the stove (no need to clean it) and set over medium heat.  Melt the butter and simmer, whisking occasionally, until the butter stops spurting and quiets down, 2 to 3 minutes.  Add the flour and cook, whisking, until smooth like gravy, about 1 minute.

4.   Whisk in the milk.  Raise the heat to high and bring to a simmer, whisking constantly, then immediately reduce the heat to low and continue simmering until the sauce lightly coats the back of a spoon, 2 to 5 minutes.  At this stage, the sauce should be smooth but relatively loose.  Take pot off the heat.

5.   To the pot, add the Cheddar, Velveeta, Pecorino Romano, mustard powder, onion powder and cayenne, and season generously with salt and pepper.  Whisk until cheese is melted and smooth like nacho cheese.  Add the drained pasta, breaking up any clumps, and stir until evenly coated in the cheese sauce.  Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

6.   Transfer to a 9 by 13 inch baking pan or dish and bake until bubbling at the edges, 15 to 20 minutes.  Serve immediately.

from Eric Kim, the New York Times