Truffle Mac and Cheese

Ingredients

• 16 cups water
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt (or sea salt)
• 1 pound uncooked elbow pasta
• 3 cups shredded fresh white cheddar (see Notes)
• 3 cups shredded fresh smoked gouda (see Notes)
• ½ cup unsalted butter
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups half-and-half (at room temperature)
• 2 cups whole milk (at room temperature)
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt (more or less to taste)
• ½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper (more or less to taste)
• 1 teaspoon truffle oil (see Notes)

Steps

1. 1

   Fill large pot with 16 cups water and place pot on stovetop over high heat. Bring water to rolling boil.

2. 2

   When water begins to boil rapidly, add 1 tablespoon kosher salt and stir to incorporate. Bring water back to rolling boil.

3. 3

   Once salted water begins to boil rapidly, add 1 pound uncooked elbow pasta and stir to incorporate. Boil pasta 1 minute less than time indicated on package instructions, then pour pasta and water into colander. Drain pasta well, then set aside.

4. 4

   Optional: If baking mac and cheese, preheat oven to 325° Fahrenheit. Lightly grease 9x13 baking dish with butter or neutral-flavored cooking spray. Set aside.

5. 5

   Add 3 cups shredded fresh white cheddar and 3 cups shredded fresh smoked gouda to medium bowl. Mix cheeses together by hand until well blended. Set aside.

6. 6

   Place medium saucepan on stovetop over medium heat. Add ½ cup unsalted butter to saucepan and let butter melt completely.

7. 7

   Once butter has melted, sprinkle ½ cup all-purpose flour over melted butter. Whisk butter and flour together vigorously to combine, then cook roux 1 minute, whisking frequently.

8. 8

   After 1 minute, remove saucepan from heat. Add 2 cups half-and-half in small increments, whisking constantly. Continue until all half-and-half has been added to saucepan and mixture is mostly smooth.

9. 9

   Add 2 cups whole milk to mixture and whisk well until milk is fully incorporated and mixture is completely smooth, with no lumps remaining.

10. 10

    Return saucepan to medium heat and simmer, whisking often, until mixture becomes very thick, approximately 5 minutes.

11. 11

    Once mixture has thickened, remove saucepan from heat and let cool slightly. Add 1 ½ teaspoons salt, ½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper, and 1 teaspoon truffle oil and whisk to incorporate.

12. 12

    Once seasonings are incorporated, add 3 cups of shredded cheese blend, stirring constantly until cheese has melted and is fully incorporated.

13. 13

    Add 1 ½ cups of remaining cheese blend to saucepan in small increments, melting cheese completely after each addition and stirring to incorporate until mixture is smooth. Set remaining 1 ½ cups of cheese blend aside.

14. 14

    Transfer al dente pasta to saucepan and stir well until pasta is fully incorporated into cheese sauce.

15. 15

    Transfer pasta mixture to baking dish, spreading pasta mixture evenly across entire dish. Cover pasta evenly with remaining 1 ½ cups shredded cheese blend, then place baking dish in preheated oven.

16. 16

    Bake mac and cheese 15 minutes or until cheese sauce is bubbly and cheese on top pasta has melted. Remove baking dish from oven and let stand 5 minutes, then serve warm.

17. 17

    Add remaining 3 cups shredded cheese blend to saucepan in small increments, stirring until cheese is completely melted and mixture is smooth.

18. 18

    Transfer al dente pasta to saucepan and stir well until pasta is fully incorporated into cheese sauce.

19. 19

    Transfer pasta mixture to baking dish, spreading pasta mixture evenly across entire dish. Serve immediately.