Recipe Corner: Macaroni and Cheese

I grew up with the Kraft version of this dish. This recipe comes from Back to the Table by Art Smith (he used to be Oprah's chef). Smith recommends using all sharp Cheddar and omitting the American if you're making the dish for a bunch of adults.

Ingredients:
1 lb penne or elbow macaroni
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups milk, heated
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
2 cups (8 ounces) finely chopped American cheese
salt and freshly ground black pepper
hot red pepper sauce (optional)
1/4 cup (1 ounce) freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Boil pot of lightly salted water. Add penne/macaroni and cook until al dente. Drain well.

Position rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a deep 4-quart casserole.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour. Gradually whisk in the milk. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes.

Remove from the heat and stir in 1 cup of the Cheddar cheese and 1 cup of the American cheese. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and hot sauce (if using).

Combine the remaining Cheddar and American cheeses. Spread one third of the penne over the bottom of the casserole dish. Top with half of the shredded cheese and a third of the sauce. Repeat, using another third of the penne with the remaining cheese and half of the sauce. Finish with the remaining penne and sauce. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the top.

Bake until bubbly and golden brown around the edges, about 30 minutes.

Serves 6 to 8