Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Prepare the Panko Topping

1. Gather the ingredients.

2. In a small saucepan over low heat, melt 3 tablespoons butter. Or place it in a medium-size microwave-safe dish and heat until melted, about 15 seconds.

3. Add panko and Parmesan to melted butter and stir until well combined. Set panko topping aside.

Make the Pasta and Sauce

1. Gather the ingredients.

2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it generously.

3. Meanwhile, in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat, melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter. Whisk in flour and red pepper flakes, if using. Cook, stirring, until flour is blond in color, about 4 minutes.

4. Gradually whisk in milk. Increase heat to medium-high and let sauce come to a simmer, whisking frequently. Reduce heat to medium-low and let sauce simmer for about 5 minutes or until it starts to thicken.

5. Add cream, grated cheese, Parmesan, mustard, salt, and black pepper, stirring until everything is smooth. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt and/or black pepper as necessary.

6. Add pasta to boiling water and cook until barely al dente (follow package directions, but stop a minute or two before pasta is completely tender). Set aside 1 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain pasta.

7. Whisk reserved pasta cooking water into cheese sauce, combining it thoroughly.

8. Add pasta to cheese sauce and stir to combine.

Assemble and Bake the Mac and Cheese

1. Heat oven to 400 F. Butter a shallow 4-quart baking dish.

2. Spoon pasta mixture into prepared baking dish. There will appear to be a lot of sauce, but not to worry. Some of it will be absorbed into pasta as it cooks, and saucy is better than dry.

3. Place baking dish on a sheet pan to catch any drips and sprinkle panko topping evenly over pasta. Bake until golden and bubbling, 30 to 40 minutes.

4. Remove pasta from oven. Let sit for a few minutes. Serve hot.

Cheeses to Use for Mac and Cheese

Some good basic cheeses to start with are sharp or extra-sharp cheddar, Gruyère, Swiss, manchego, and fontina, or any combination of these. If you have some small pieces of softer cheeses, like brie or fresh, mild goat cheese, lingering about, use them. Remove all rinds you wouldn’t want to see floating around in your mac and cheese and, unless you really know your audience, stay away from very potent cheeses like blue cheese or smoked cheese or anything particularly stinky.