Family recipe
Tini's Make n Cheese
Ingredients
1 1b. Cavatappi Pasta
1 1b. mozzarella
1 1b. colby jack
8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese
1 tsp Salt/1 tsp pepper/1 tbs garlic powder/1 tbs smoked paprika
3 tbs. butter
3 tbs. flour
1 can evaporated milk
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
Cooking Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and "salt it like the ocean", once it's boiling add the pasta and boil for 8 minutes (if you're cooking this the night before only boil for 7 minutes or pasta will be overcooked)
While the water/pasta is boiling, shred all your cheese and make two separate piles. One pile will make the sauce and the other pile will be layered in your baking dish with the pasta.
Place all your seasoning in a boil and mix. You will take half and 'bloom the seasoning", and the other half will mix in once the cheese sauce is done.
Melt butter in a large pan on medium heat. Add half the seasoning and cook for about 30 seconds, mixing continuously. Add the flour and cook for 2-3 minutes, mixing continuously. Add evaporated milk, about a 1/4 of the can at a time make sure to whisk to get rid of any clumps from the flour and seasonings. Mix for about one minute before adding anything else. Add heavy cream a little at a time and then cook for about 2 minutes.
Turn heat to low. Grab half of the cheese and mix in a little at a time. Do not add more cheese until the what you initially added is fully melted. Proceed with this process until the half batch of cheese is all melted. Add the second half of the seasoning and taste. If you want to add more seasoning do so at this time. Fold pasta in with the cheese sauce.
Place half of the mac in your baking and then layer with half of the second batch of shredded cheese. Add the remaining pasta and shredded cheese.
Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until all the cheese is melted and then broil for like 2 minutes to create a crust on top.