Baked White Cheddar Mac & Cheese With Smoked Sausage
I thought, how about a Baked White Cheddar Mac & Cheese With Smoked Sausage waiting for her at home?
Equipment
- 2 rimmed baking sheet pans
- 2 stockpots 6-quart
- 1 saute pan 12-inch
- 1 sauce pan 3-quart
- 2 deep-sided (9 x 9) casserole pans Disposable
- 1 chef's knife
- 2 colanders
- 1 cutting board Meat-safe
Ingredients
- 2 16-ounce boxes Barilla Cellentani, corkscrew-shaped pasta Substitute elbow macaroni
- 24 tbsps (3sticks) butter Unsalted (reserve 1 stick for topping, plus extra butter for greasing pans)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 quarts whole milk
- 1 tsp nutmeg Freshly-grated
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 1/2 tsps black pepper Freshly-ground
- 6 cup smoked sausage (Kilbasa) Sliced and quartered, 3 cups for each pan
- 2 8-ounce packages extra-sharp white cheddar Shredded and divided
- 6 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese Freshly-grated and divided
- 3 cups Panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup Italian flat-leaf parsley Reserve 1/4 cup for the Panko breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.Butter 2 (9 x 9) disposable pans.Into each of the two (6-quart stockpots) pots of boiling salted water, add 1 box of Barilla Cellentani. Cook according to the directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well into separate colanders.In the meantime, heat the milk in a 4-quart saucepan, just under the boiling point. In another (6-quart) stockpot, melt 2 sticks of butter, and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, continuously whisking. While whisking, slowly add in the hot milk, then 1 tablespoon of Kosher salt, 1 1/2 teaspoons of freshly ground black pepper, and freshly ground nutmeg. Switch to a wooden spoon, and continue to stir until the sauce thickens. Do not rush this process; cooking times may vary, anywhere from 7-10 minutes. Once the sauce coats the back of a spoon, remove the pot from the heat. Add all the white cheddar and the 3 ounces of grated Parmesan. Stir to combine.Divide the bechamel sauce equally into each of the (6-quart) stockpots. Divide the diced smoked sausage into each pot. Add one colander of the cooked, well-drained pasta into each pot. Stir to combine, then transfer to the buttered disposable pans.Instructions for the Breadcrumb Topping:Melt the remaining 1 stick of butter in a large sauté pan on low heat, add the Panko crumbs, and stir until all the butter is absorbed. Off the heat, add the remaining grated Parmesan cheese and Italian flat-leaf parsley. Stir to combine. Divide evenly, then sprinkle the bread crumbs evenly on top of each of the pans. Place each of the disposable pans onto a rimmed baking sheet.Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni and topping are a beautiful golden brown.There you have it, my Baked White Cheddar Mac & Cheese With Smoked Sausage.
Notes
1) Linda Lou Hamel is not a nutritionist or dietitian, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and nutritional value are important to you, I recommend running the ingredients through the online nutritional calculator of your choice. Calories and values can vary depending on the brands you choose.
2) Ingredients for this recipe are doubled to yield 2 (9 x 9) disposable pans.
3) Tips for Freezing the Baked White Cheddar Mac & Cheese With Smoked Sausage:a) Make sure the pan of Baked White Cheddar Mac & Cheese With Smoked Sausage is at room temperature before freezing. b) If you plan to freeze one of the pans, DO NOT ADD the breadcrumb topping until you're ready to bake. Cover the pan tightly with foil, then wrap the whole pan again in plastic wrap. Freeze for up to 2 months. c) When you're ready to bake, remove the foil and plastic wrap. Add the breadcrumb topping. Spray the dull side of a piece of foil with non-stick cooking spray. This will prevent the topping from sticking to the foil. Cover the dish tightly with the sprayed foil and bake frozen for 1 hour at 350°F. Remove the foil and continue baking until the top is golden brown, around 5-7 minutes. Times may vary slightly.
