French Mac & Cheese
Ingredients
- 4 cups dry penne pasta
- FRENCH PANTRY Salt of choice
Bechamel Sauce:
- 2 cups milk
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup flour
- 1/2 tsp FRENCH PANTRY Salt of choice
- 1/2 tsp FRENCH PANTRY Fresh Ground Pepper of choice
- 3 cups grated cheese of choice (Emmenthal, Swiss or Sharp Cheddar)
- 6 slices ham, chopped into small pieces
- 1/3 cup Panko bread crumbs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400° F degrees. Place your Straight Muffin Tray on your Perforated Baking Sheet and set aside. Prepare pasta according to directions on package, add salt to boiling water before you add the pasta.
- As pasta is cooking, make your bechamel sauce by adding the milk, butter, flour, salt & pepper to your sauce pan on medium heat. Stir continuously until the sauce thickens. Remove from heat and add 1 cup grated cheese to the sauce.
- Drain pasta and transfer to your Stainless Mixing Bowl. Add ham to pasta and stir to combine. Add bechamel sauce to pasta along with 1 more cup of grated cheese. Stir well to combine the sauce, cheese & pasta.
- Using ½ cup of the grated cheese, distribute cheese evenly into the bottom of the 12 shapes of the Straight Muffin Tray. Spoon pasta mixture on top of cheese. Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup grated cheese on top of each pasta muffin and sprinkle bread crumbs on top of the cheese.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until bread crumbs are golden brown and cheese is melted. Remove from oven and cool for approx. 5-10 minutes to let the cheese set before unmolding onto your serving platter.
Notes
Note: This recipe can also be made in your Grande Round Mold. You would prepare as instructed above, adding ½ cup of grated cheese to the bottom of the mold before adding the pasta mixture. Top with cheese and bread crumbs. Bake for 25-30 minutes.
