Truffled Mac and Cheese!
Ingredients:
1 lb cavatappi pasta 1 and ¼ sticks of butter ¾ cup chopped red onion 2 Tbsp minced garlic ½ cup flour 16 oz. block white aged cheddar, shredded ½ cup parmesean cheese, shredded 1 cup skim milk ½ cup half & half ¾ cup heavy whipping cream ¼ cup chopped fresh basil, thyme and rosemary cracked black pepper (to taste) If you have black truffle oil: 1 Tbsp and 1 tsp black truffle oil (this is to your preference – start with 1 Tbsp and if that’s enough for you, stop there. Black truffle oil is more expensive and also more intense.) If you have white truffle oil: 3 Tbsp Splash white wine (about ¼ cup) ½ cup (or more) Japanese panko bread crumbs
Directions: Boil cavatappi per package instructions, set aside. Add butter to pot over medium-high heat. Saute the onions and garlic until they turn slightly brown. Add the flour and whisk together for 3 minutes to make a blonde roux. Whisk in the milk, half and half, heavy whipping cream, and a splash of white wine and bring to a boil, stirring constantly to prevent the roux from burning. You may have to keep adding in additional skim milk if you think it’s looking a little too “flour-y”. Just eyeball it. Cook until the roux has dissolved completely and you can no longer taste the flour. Add the fresh herbs, the truffle oil, the cheddar, and half of the parmesean until dissolved. Season with cracked black pepper (to taste). Incorporate the cooked cavatappi. Put ingredients into a baking dish. Sprinkle bread crumbs and remaining parmesean cheese on top evenly. Place under a broiler until top becomes golden brown.
