I can’t tell you how hard I tried when the kids were little to come up with a homemade macaroni and cheese that they would choose to eat over that stuff in the box. They just weren’t interested. But now that they are older and have traveled a little bit, they seem to be open to new tastes. Their affection for this dish is proof.
This recipe is really just a blueprint. It is your basic macaroni and cheese baked with a crumb crust. You can use different cheeses, spice it up southwestern style with some corn and chipotles or pickled jalapenos or add Mediterranean elements such as sun-dried tomatoes, olives, and capers. Get wild—just keep the proportions roughly the same.
Serves 4 to 6
1 1/4 cups freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Preheat the oven to 375ºF and bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the orzo.
Heat 3 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for about 3 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high, pour in the milk, and bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Reduce the heat to low and cook, whisking often, for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the Cheddar. Season with salt and pepper
Add the orzo to the boiling water and bring back to a boil over high heat. Cook until al dente, 7 to 8 minutes. Drain well and stir into the cheese sauce. Transfer to a large shallow buttered baking dish.
