To make our version of Grace Elkus’ “Mac and Cheese With Herbed English Muffin Breadcrumbs” recipe from Real Simple, first grab a bag of your favorite Dam Good™ English Muffin variety (we used vegan ‘Original White’)!
Grace Elkus: "You likely have a go-to macaroni and cheese recipe, but we're here to convince you to stray from tradition. Cute and curly cavatappi noodles hug the creamy cheese sauce better than elbows, and the kids will think they're fun to eat. Speaking of cheese, we've discovered the ultimate trifecta: white cheddar and Gruyère in the pasta, and Pecorino in the breadcrumbs. Instead of opting for Panko, we made our own breadcrumbs with English muffins—the perfect way to use up the second half of the bag. The tang from the muffins mixed with fresh thyme and rosemary makes for a deliciously crunchy topping that will have you scraping the baking dish clean.
Ingredients
For the breadcrumbs (makes two cups):
- 4 English muffins, halved and torn into bite-size pieces
- 4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ cup grated Pecorino cheese (1 ounce)
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme, plus leaves for garnish
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
For the pasta:
- 1 pound cavatappi
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for baking dish
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons dry mustard powder
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 4 ½ cups whole milk
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 8 ounces Gruyère, grated (2 cups)
- 8 ounces white cheddar, grated (2 cups)
Directions
Step 1
Preheat oven to 400°F. Butter a 9x13 inch baking dish (or other 3-qt. baking dish).
Step 2
Make the breadcrumbs: Place torn English muffins in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until coarse crumbs form. Transfer to a medium bowl and add butter, Pecorino, rosemary, thyme, and salt. Mix to combine; set aside.
Step 3
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add cavatappi and cook until al dente (remove from heat 1 to 2 minutes before package directions). Drain and set aside.
Step 4
Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour, mustard powder, nutmeg, and cayenne and cook until golden, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in milk and simmer until thickened, stirring occasionally, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat. Whisk in salt and several grinds black pepper. Slowly add gruyère and cheddar, whisking until melted, about 2 minutes.
Step 5
Add pasta to the pot and toss to combine. Pour into prepared baking dish. Top with reserved breadcrumbs. Bake until the cheese sauce is bubbly and the breadcrumbs are golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Top with several grinds black pepper and fresh thyme leaves."