Southern Baked Mac and Cheese
This rich and decadent baked pasta is a Southern Black staple for holidays and special occasions. Steering away from the standard stovetop mac, this version includes three kinds of cheese and bakes up like a casserole with a crispy, golden top. The addition of eggs makes it similar to a cheesy, savory custard. Warning: This is not diet food!
Ingredients
- kosher salt
- 1 poundelbow macaroni
- 5 largeeggs
- 3 ½ cupsheavy cream
- 2 ½ teaspoonscajun seasoning
- ½ teaspoonground mustard
- ¼ teaspoonground nutmeg
- 1 poundsharp cheddar, shredded
- 1 poundwhole-milk mozzarella, shredded
- 1 poundgouda, shredded
Directions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- 2
Cook the macaroni according to the package directions until 3 minutes less than fully cooked. Drain and rinse under cold water until cooled; drain well. Add the cooked pasta back to the pot.
- 3
Put the eggs, heavy cream, Cajun seasoning, ground mustard, nutmeg and a big pinch of salt in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Pour over the cooked pasta and stir to combine.
- 4
Toss together the Cheddar, mozzarella and Gouda in a large bowl. Add the cheeses to the pot and stir to evenly combine. Transfer the mixture to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
- 5
Bake until the center of the mac and cheese is set and the top is golden brown, 60 to 70 minutes. Let cool about 10 minutes before serving.