Beecher's "World's Best" Mac 'n' Cheese | culture: the word on cheese
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Beecher’s “World’s Best” Mac ‘n’ Cheese

and | January 1, 2015
This article is from: Winter 2014

Beecher's "World's Best" Mac 'n' Cheese

Kurt Beecher Dammeier
On the menu since Beecher’s opened, this ultracreamy mac ‘n’ cheese dish has been lauded by fans across the country. The umami flavor of the cheeses adds depth and complexity, while the gooey texture satisfies your craving for comfort food. Dig in on a cold winter’s night, serve as a holiday dinner side, or enjoy with braised meats and roasted veggies.
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Ingredients
  

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter plus more for preparing dish
  • 6 ounces penne pasta
  • 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ cups milk
  • 8 ounces about 2 cups grated Beecher’s Flagship cheese, divided
  • 2 ounces about ½ cup grated Beecher’s Just Jack cheese, divided
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt ¼ teaspoon chili powder divided
  • ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions
 

  • Heat oven to 350°F. Butter or oil an 8-inch baking dish.
  • Cook the penne 2 minutes less than package directions (it will finish cooking in the oven). Rinse pasta in cold water, and set aside.
  • Melt the butter in a heavy- bottomed saucepan over medium heat, and whisk in the flour. Continue whisking and cooking for 2 minutes. Slowly add the milk, whisking constantly. Cook until sauce thickens, about 8 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat.
  • Add 1¾ cups Flagship cheese, ¼ cup Just Jack cheese, salt, 1/8 teaspoon chili powder, and garlic powder. Stir until the cheese is melted and all ingredients are incorporated, about 3 minutes.
  • Combine cooked pasta and sauce in a medium bowl, and mix carefully but thoroughly. Scrape pasta into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the top with remaining cheeses and then the remaining chili powder.
  • Bake uncovered for 20 minutes. Let mac ‘n’ cheese sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Kristine Jannuzzi

Food and travel writer Kristine Jannuzzi (aka @nyccheesechick) fell for formaggio the first time she tasted Pecorino Toscano in Florence some 20 years ago. She has been a frequent Culture contributor since 2013, and her work has also been published in La Cucina Italiana, Italy Magazine, and British Heritage Travel, among others. A bilingual dual American and Italian citizen, Kristine currently hosts private cheese tastings and visits to cheesemakers in Tuscany.

Michael Harlan Turkell

Photographer Michael Harlan Turkell

Michael Harlan Turkell, a once aspiring chef, now photographer, captures the inner workings of kitchens. As former photo editor of Edible Brooklyn and Edible Manhattan, his recurring BACK OF THE HOUSE series appeared in the magazines from 2006 – 2011. Michael’s been nominated for a James Beard Foundation Award in Visual Storytelling, included in 25 Under 25: Up-and-Coming American Photographers V2, (PowerHouse Books), received a Photo District News Photo Annual Award, and has had his photos printed in an array of publications, and cookbooks. Learn more about Michael at http://harlanturk.com/

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