Ingredients
- 1 pound elbow macaroni
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups hot whole milk
- Kosher salt and cracked black pepper 1 teaspoon dry mustard, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ pound sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (2 cups)
- ½ pound Muenster cheese, shredded (2 cups)
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Instructions
In a pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente; drain.
In a heavy saucepan or extra large skillet set over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking constantly, until the paste cooks and bubbles a bit, about 2 minutes (make sure it doesn’t brown). Add 3 cups of the hot milk and cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring the sauce to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 more minutes. Stir in the dry mustard and cayenne pepper, and then gradually adding the cheddar and Muenster cheeses, stirring constantly until all of the cheese has melted into the sauce. Stir in the remaining 1 cup milk.
Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and stir to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle the top with the Parmesan cheese and parsley. Serve immediately.