From Chrissy Teigen’s cookbook, Cravings.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 8-12
Ingredients
- Kosher salt
- 1 pound pasta shells
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 4 oz unsalted butter
- Extra butter to line baking dish
- 5 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 5 cup whole milk
- 3 cup grated cheddar cheese
- 3 cup grated Gruyère or Swiss cheese
- 3/4 pound (about 16 slices) American cheese
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (I used more for my taste)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425° F.
- In a large pot of water, boil pasta shells according to package instructions.
- Drain pasta, rinse it, and coat with vegetable oil so it doesn’t stick together while it waits to be drenched in cheese.
- Grease 9 X 13 baking dish with some butter.
- Melt one stick of butter on medium-high heat in a soup pot.
- Add flour to butter and constantly whisk for 5-6 minutes until the mixture is light brown and toasty.
- Keep whisking and add the milk slowly. Bring the heat up and keep on whisking. When it boils, decrease the heat and whisk for another 4-5 minutes to thicken.
- It’s time for cheese! Add all of the cheese, but save a handful of each to sprinkle over top later. Don’t forget to whisk it!
- Whisk in two teaspoons salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and the cayenne pepper. (This step is necessary, the amounts are not. Keep tasting the sauce until it’s how you like it. After all, you just worked your whisking arm to a nub for this.)
- Add the cooked pasta and more seasoning if desired. Combine it all, and transfer to greased baking sheet.
- Cover the top with leftover cheese and the breadcrumbs (see recipe below). There are a lot of breadcrumbs, but if you work hard and believe in yourself you can fit them ALL.
- Place in oven and cook for eight minutes until the topping is golden and crunchy.
- SHE’S HERE. Wait as long as you can bear before eating because your impatience will cause you to burn your mouth.
