Cook's Illustrated (March 2017)
| There are two important ingredients here that can't be substituted. | ||||
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| First, you'll need American cheese from the deli. Kraft Singles and similar products contain added whey, which makes the sauce too thick. American cheese contains emulsifying salts that react with the real aged cheddar to make it melt smoothly without clumping. | ||||
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| Second, the pasta is cooked with the absorption method. You don't boil and drain it, but rather cook in a measured amount of liquid. What's left after cooking is just the right amount to make the sauce. So, if you don't use Barilla brand elbows, you may need to adjust the amount of liquid. | ||||
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| Bring to a boil in a med saucepan. | ||||
| 1 1/2 | c | water | ||
| 1 | c | milk | ||
| Add, cook over med-low 6-8 min until al-dente. | ||||
| 8 | oz | Barilla elbow macaroni | ||
| Add, stirring constantly until melted, ~1 min. | ||||
| 4 | oz | deli American cheese, shredded | ||
| 1/2 | t | Dijon mustard | ||
| 1 | pinch | cayenne | ||
| Off heat, stir until evenly distributed, but not melted. | ||||
| 4 | oz | extra-sharp cheddar, shredded | ||
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| 2x | ||||
| 3 | c | water | ||
| 2 | c | milk | ||
| 16 | oz | macaroni | ||
| 8 | oz | deli American | ||
| 1 | t | Dijon mustard | ||
| 2 | pinches cayenne | |||
| 8 | oz | cheddar | ||
| 3x | ||||
| 4 1/2 | c | water | ||
| 3 | c | milk | ||
| 1 | lbs | 8 oz macaroni | ||
| 12 | oz | deli American | ||
| 1 1/2 | t | Dijon mustard | ||
| 3 | pinches cayenne | |||
| 12 | oz | cheddar | ||
| 1.5x | ||||
| 2 1/4 | c | water | ||
| 1 1/2 | c | milk | ||
| 12 | oz | macaroni | ||
| 6 | oz | deli American | ||
| 3/4 | t | Dijon mustard | ||
| 1 | pinches cayenne | |||
| 6 | oz | cheddar | ||