Macaroni and Cheese

Remember when I said how much I loved Jamie Oliver's new show on Food Network and that is was my absolute favorite? Although I still love his show, someone just bumped him out of first place. Alex Guarnaschelli has been a familiar face to me as she is a frequent host of Iron Chef America. I have always liked her because she is not a snob and she's not skinny with in-your-face cleavage. She clearly likes to eat. Yes, she has an amazingly large vocabulary and she is clearly very educated, but still she is not a snob. She loves food and her passion is obvious. I saw the first episode yesterday and instantly knew I would love the series. The theme is sort of like a cooking class- there are 3 or 4 "students" that are cooking along with her and learning. Some of them are a little annoying, I must admit, but the host is great and she made one of America's all time favorite comfort foods: Macaroni and Cheese. It is the most flavorful mac & cheese I have ever eaten- the mustard makes the dish. I think this should be re-named "Does my ass look fat in this?". Seriously.... there's a lot of fat and calories in this dish. It's not for the faint of heart and not for anyone on a diet. I truly had a pretty small portion (I swear!) and it sat in my stomach like a brick. Take less than you think you want because it's very rich. And after you eat this, I can say with confidence that yes, your ass does look fat in this.

water to boil the pasta, reserving about 1 cup of the pasta water
kosher or sea salt
3 cups dry pasta, Alex recommends elbow macaroni but I used orrichetti
1 quart heavy cream
2 cloves garlic, peeled and lightly crushed with the back of a knife
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
3 cups gruyere cheese, grated
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated fine, plus more for topping
Worcestershire sauce, to taste
hot sauce, to taste
1/3 cup plain (unseasoned) bread crumbs, toasted for 8 minutes in the oven until golden

In a large pot, bring the water to a rolling boil. Add the salt. Taste the water. It should be salty like sea water. Add the macaroni and stir, with a wooden spoon or large slotted spoon, to ensure the macaroni does not stick to the bottom of the pot as it cooks. Cook until the macaroni is still quite firm, 8 to 10 minutes.

Pour the macaroni and water into a strainer placed over the sink. Allow the water to drain out, reserving approximately 1 cup of the liquid.

In the same pot, bring the cream, garlic cloves, and the reserved cooking liquid to a simmer. Add the mustard and 3 cups of the Gruyere. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Simmer gently, stirring constantly, until the cheese is melted and has integrated with the cream. Add the Parmesan and Cheddar. Stir with a wooden spoon and simmer again until smooth. Add a splash of Worcestershire and a splash of hot sauce. Stir to blend. Taste for seasoning.

Add the macaroni to the cream and stir gently to blend. Allow the macaroni to rest on the stove, 5 to 10 minutes, so the pasta absorbs the flavors. Remove and discard the garlic cloves.

Fill a baking dish with the macaroni mixture, top with the bread crumbs and some finely grated parmesan cheese and bake 10 to 12 minutes or until the bread crumbs crust on top. Serve immediately.

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