MAC AND CHEESE

MAC and CHEESE

Macaroni and Cheese from the master: Bernard Kimball

30 servings 3 1-pound packages of macaroni or pasta shells 

3 cans of evaporated milk

9 eggs

1 stick of butter cut up in chunks for the pasta, plus ½ stick to mix with the bread crumbs and Parmesan.

1 5# package of grated cheddar or a blend of cheeses.

1 cup of Parmesan cheese or to taste

3 cups of bread crumbs, panko or "normal"

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Mix your Parmesan and bread crumbs together and set aside.

Heat the stick of butter, together with the evaporated milk almost to a boil.

Beat your eggs; then beat in the hot milk/butter mixture in a slow, steady stream so the eggs don't scramble.

Cook your pasta, I really prefer mine to be a tad done past al dente. Drain it and set it aside. You want to work quickly because you will need all the hot ingredients hot for this to work properly; hot pasta helps melt the cheese.

Mix the cheese with the pasta. 

Pour in the milk, butter and egg mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste and toss it lightly together. The cheese will have made it cool down enough to permit you to use your hands.

Mix your breadcrumb/Parmesan mixture with the extra half stick of melted butter and scatter it over the top of the pasta mixture.

Place your casserole in the oven and bake it for about an hour. Feel in the center to make sure it’s hot through. If it is not let it go until it is. Maybe another 30 minutes. If it’s beginning to brown (that’s beyond, cover it with a sheet of aluminum foil to make sure it doesn’t burn. Some brown along the sides if just fine. Do not overbake as it will dry completely out. If you need to hold this hot for a while simply cover with a sheet of plastic wrap and a piece of foil and set it aside, or if it’s likely to be more than an hour slide it in the oven at 180 degrees, covered. 

Serve.