Baked Macaroni and Cheese (Courtesy of Anthony Bourdain’s mother Gladys)
Ingredients
- 1 lb. short macaroni, such as elbow, penne or shells
- ¾ tsp. salt
- Pepper to taste
- 16 oz. (about 4 cups) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 2 tbsp. stick butter
- 1 qt. (4 cups) whole milk
Preparation
- Cook pasta in boiling water 3-5 minutes less than package directs
- Drain well
- Heat oven to 400° and grease a 13 x 9 baking dish
- Spread 1/3 of the pasta in prepared dish
- Sprinkle with salt and pepper and 1/3 of the cheese
- Dot with ½ tbsp. of butter
- Repeat layers twice, dotting the top layer with 1 tbsp. of butter
- Don’t tamp down the pasta; it will make the dish to dense
- Pour milk over top
- Bake 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on how crisp you like the top.