Americana: Mac 'n' Cheese

Do you have a go-to comfort dish?  I have a few but one of them is the simple combination of Macaroni and creamy cheese sauce. Oh yum!
I don't make it often (calories!!...) but when I do, we all enjoy it so much, the boys always ask for seconds so I make sure to bake it in my large baking dish.
It's also a perfect side dish when entertaining for a large crowd. A real crowd pleaser!
I spotted this Mac'n' Cheese recipe by LA chef & restaurant owner, Wolfgang Puck,
via 'Hollywood Housewife' blog.
Andrew and I enjoyed dinner at one of Wolfgang Puck's restaurants whilst on Honeymoon in LA many moons ago.
The recipe below seemed easy enough...and it turned out perfectly - the added crunch of bread crumbs on top make it so good, promise!

Ingrediants

85g  unsalted butter, plus more for greasing  

·    6 Tbs. all-purpose flour 

·    1 bay leaf 

·    4 cups milk 

·    1 1/4 cups crème fraîche 

·    1 1/2 tsp. fleur de sel 

·    3 3/4 cups shredded mozzarella 

·    1 3/4 cups shredded aged cheddar cheese 

·    Freshly ground white pepper, to taste 

·    450g  cavatappi, ( or small penne) cooked al dente

·      3/4 cup fresh brioche bread crumbs 

        Method Preheat an oven to 180°C. Butter your baking dish.    

        In a  saucepan over medium heat, melt the 6 Tbs. butter. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring, until blended, about 1 minute. Add the bay leaf and slowly whisk in the milk until smooth. Simmer, whisking occasionally, until the mixture is thickened, 14 to 16 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and discard. Whisk in the crème fraîche and the 1 1/2 tsp. fleur de sel and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat and stir in 1 1/4 cups each of the mozzarella and cheddar. Season with fleur de sel and white pepper. 

In a large bowl, combine the pasta and cheese sauce and stir in 2 cups of the mozzarella. Transfer to the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella and cheddar and then with the bread crumbs. Bake until the bread crumbs are golden and the cheese is bubbly, about 30 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Serves 8 to 10. 

Recipe via Williams-Sonoma recipes