Overnight Mac & Cheese
Ina Garten
Notes
If you can't find fresh bread crumbs, make your own by removing the crust from five slices of white bread. Dice the remaining bread and put it in the bowl of a food processor. Process until you have fine crumbs.
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons salt
8 ounces elbow macaroni or cavatappi
1 teaspoon pepper
3 cups heavy cream
2 cups grated gruyère
1 cup grated sharp white cheddar
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons melted butter (plus extra for the dish)
1 1/2 cups fine fresh white bread crumbs
Directions
- A full 24 hours before you plan to serve the dish, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for about four-to-eight minutes. Drain and set aside.
- While pasta is cooking, in a medium saucepan, combine the cream, nutmeg, one cup of the gruyère, 1/2 cup of the Cheddar, salt, and pepper. Occasionally stir and cook until cheese is fully melted.
- Once the pasta is drained and the cream sauce is cooked, add the pasta into the cream mixture. Mix thoroughly. Cover the pan with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for a full 24 hours. The pasta will absorb the cream and expand.
- When ready to cook, allow the mixture to sit at room temperature for about an hour. (You can also microwave it for four minutes.) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Butter a two-quart dish and transfer the mixture to the dish. Spread evenly. Combine the remaining gruyère and cheddar, and sprinkle evenly on top. Combine the bread crumbs and melted butter, and sprinkle evenly on top. Bake for 20-to-25 minutes, rotating halfway through, until golden brown and crusty. Serve hot.
Information
- Yield
- 6-8 servings
- Prep Time
- 24 hours 12 mins
- Cook Time
- 25 minutes
- Total Time
- 1 day, 36 minutes, 59 seconds