This is a great fall recipe and perfect to take to dinner parties.
Ingredients
* 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
* ¾ cup Panko Japanese breadcrumbs
* ¼ ounce Parmesan, finely grated (about ¼ cup)
* 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
* 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided, plus more
* 8 ounces Cavatappi or other short curly pasta
* 2 ½ cups whole milk
* ½ small onion, grated
* 1 garlic clove, finely grated
* 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 4 ounces Fontina cheese, grated (about 1 cup)
* 4 ounces Gruyère, grated (about 1 cup)
* 4 ounces sharp white cheddar, grated (about 1 cup)
* ½ teaspoon English mustard powder (such as Colman’s)
* Pinch of cayenne pepper
Preparation
* Preheat oven to 350°.
* Melt 2 Tbsp. butter in a medium skillet over medium heat.
* Add panko and cook, stirring, until crumbs are golden brown, 6–8 minutes (make sure to get them toasty brown; they won’t darken much during baking).
* Transfer to a small bowl and toss with Parmesan, thyme leaves, and ¼ tsp. salt.
* Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente (the noodles will continue to cook in the cheese sauce, so take them out a minute or two before you
think they’re actually done).
* Drain pasta; let cool while you make the sauce.
* Bring milk to a bare simmer in a small saucepan; keep warm.
* Melt remaining 2 Tbsp. butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high.
* Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until onions are fragrant and beginning to soften, about 2 minutes.
* Sprinkle flour over and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture starts to stick to bottom of saucepan, about 1 minute.
* Add warm milk in a few additions, whisking to combine after each addition.
* Bring béchamel sauce to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, stirring, until sauce is thickened and doesn’t feel grainy when a little bit is rubbed between your fingers, 6–8 minutes
(cooking the flour thoroughly at this stage ensures a creamy sauce).
* Add Fontina, Gruyère, cheddar, mustard powder, cayenne, and ¾ tsp. salt and stir until cheeses are melted and sauce is smooth.
* Remove from heat and mix in pasta; transfer to a 2-qt. baking dish.
* Don’t be alarmed if the sauce looks thin at first: It will continue to thicken as it bakes with the noodles.
* Bake 10 minutes. Top with Parmesan breadcrumbs and bake until sauce is bubbling around the edges, 8–10 minutes longer.
* Let cool in pan 15 minutes before serving.
