This make ahead recipe is perfect for a weeknight. Heavy cream, Gruyere & cheddar cheeses, nutmeg, salt and pepper are mixed together in a bowl. Then cooked pasta is added to the cheese mixture and refrigerated overnight. The next day the pasta mixture is transferred to a baking dish then topped with more cheese and breadcrumbs before baking. Once the top is golden brown, this delicious mac and cheese is ready to eat.
Course
Side Dish
Prep Time15minutes
Cook Time25minutes
Refrigeration Time8hours
Servings10people
Ingredients
Salt and pepper
12ozcavatappi pasta
4 ½cupsheavy cream
3cupsgrated Gruyere cheesedivided (8 oz)
1 ½cupsgrated sharp white cheddar cheesedivided (4 oz)
½tspground nutmeg
3tbspmelted butterplus extra for dish
2 ½cupsfresh white bread crumbs
Instructions
Day before:
Cook pasta in salted water and cook for only 4 minutes. Drain, set aside.
In a medium bowl combine the cream, 1 ½ cups Gruyere cheese, ¾ cup cheddar, nutmeg, 1 tsp salt and 1 ½ tsp pepper.
Stir in the hot pasta into the cream mixture. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours. The pasta will absorb the cream and expand.
Serving Day:
Allow the bowl to come to room temperature for about 1 hour (or microwave for 4 minutes).
Preheat oven to 400 F.
Butter a 9x13 baking dish. Stir the pasta mixture well, then transfer it to the dish, spread evenly.
Combine the remaining 1 ½ cups Gruyere and ¾ cup cheddar and sprinkle evenly on top. Combine breadcrumbs and 3 tbsp melted butter and sprinkle evenly over cheese.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating halfway through, until golden brown. Serve hot.