Prep: 10 -15 minutes Bake: 20-25 minutes

I have been craving mac and cheese but have stopped making boxed mixes for a while. I’m usually super picky with my mac and cheese so I figured I’d try my hand at a recipe. This was super easy overall and I’m still tweeking the flavors just a bit. This serves 1-2 people.

Ingredients

• 1/4-1/2 cup elbow pasta

• 1/4 cup milk

• 1/4 cup grated gruyere cheese

• 1/2 cup white sharp cheddar cheese (it’s better to not use pre-shredded as they often have chemicals to prevent binding, that make the melting a harder process)

• 1 leek

• Nutmeg to taste

• Pinch of salt and some more

• 2 tbls flour

• 1/2 stick unsalted butter

• Optional: breadcrumbs

Prep

1. Preheat oven to 325 F (165 C)

2. Dice the leek

3. Heat a skillet to a medium low heat

4. Set a pan of water to start boiling

5. Add the butter to the skillet

6. When melted, add the flour in small pinches and stir frequently until it starts to thicken

7. Add the leek and stir

8. Add the milk and nutmeg and stir well, do not let it boil, but simmer

9. Reduce the heat, or remove completely

10. Slowly add both cheese in small bits, stirring while it melts and thickens

11. Add a touch of salt, (and any of flavors if desired, like pepper or paprika!)

12. Add the elbow pasta to the boiling water and cook to just before al dente. Around 4-5 minutes should do

13. Drain the pasta and add to a baking casserole dish

14. Add the sauce and mix together (you can add the pasta straight into the sauce and mix first then pour into dish, both work!)

15. Top with the breadcrumbs

16. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the top is bubbling and turning a nice golden brown

Afterthoughts

This was super easy and I enjoyed it a lot. I needed a bit more flavor added and will use paprika and pepper next time. The leeks added a great flavor profile to the dish and helped bring out more flavor. I had used too much milk which softened the taste a bit too much.