There is not much that is more comforting than a delicious bowl of mac & cheese. This recipe uses manchego cheese, a popular, tangy, Spanish, sheep’s milk cheese along with stringy mozzarella and nutty Parmigiano-Reggiano with a crunchy panko topping. The recipe is easy to make since it does not use the standard roux used in most mac & cheese dishes. I learned this trick a few years ago from Jeff Mauro, the infamous “Sandwich King,” to use condensed milk when making your mac & cheese sauce. Here’s how I make it:
Start by bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil, enough for a 1 pound box of your favorite pasta, I used penne because it holds up well to the cheese sauce. Next, grate 2 cups of manchego cheese, 1 cup of mozzarella, and 1 cup of freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and place it in a bowl. To the cheese, add 2 tablespoons of corn starch and if desired, a dash of freshly grated nutmeg, and toss it all together and set aside.
While the water is coming to a boil, melt 1/2 stick of butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add 1 cup of seasoned panko bread crumbs and stir continuously over medium heat until browned.
Once panko is all golden brown, remove from heat immediately, and place in a bowl.
Once panko is in a bowl, set aside to use later. Add pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente. While pasta cooks, wipe out the pan used for the panko crumbs and return to medium heat and add one 12 oz. can of condensed milk. Once heated, slowly add all the cheese, stirring until melted and smooth.
Keep stirring until sauce comes to a low boil and is thick and smooth. At this time, check to see if it needs salt and pepper. Save some of your pasta water to thin the sauce if necessary.
When pasta is done to desired tenderness, drain and add directly to the cheese sauce, remember to save some of the pasta water.
Stir completely to coat and add some of your reserved pasta water to thin it down if necessary. When serving the mac & cheese, top with the crunchy panko crumbs, and dig in. Enjoy and happy cooking!
Prep Time: 20 min Cooking Time: 20 min
Difficulty: Easy Servings: 4 – 6
Ingredients:
1 pound box of Penne or your favorite pasta
1/2 stick salted butter
1 12 oz. can condensed milk
1 cup seasoned panko bread crumbs
2 cups freshly grated manchego cheese
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
2 tablespoons corn starch
dash of freshly grated nutmeg (optional)
salt & pepper to taste
reserved pasta water to thin sauce if necessary