A psychologist once told me that we don’t really reach adulthood until about 27 years old. That exactly coincides with the time that you’re expected to have absolutely perfected a few soul-healing dishes. Well, at least that’s how we do it in the south. These are the chicken casseroles, the cakes, and the deviled eggs you take to church homecomings, reunions and funerals. But mac and cheese is such an important part of such gatherings that you can’t afford to be meh. I mean you wouldn’t want a 2-star mac and cheese showing up at your funeral, would you? How distressing and tacky.
So this one is the one and the only one you need for important occasions where every bite needs to feel like a warm childhood hug from mama. Its rich, cheesy layers defy the ordinary crockpotted versions. While many mac and cheeses are limp and lacking in WDW, this is another time that you find southern soul perfection at Homecomin’ in Disney Springs. And yes, it loves to go camping, but is easier to make ahead.
Disney's Most Comforting Dish: Art Smith's Homecomin' Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 lb penne pasta or elbow macaroni I use seashell pasta instead
- 1/2 stick unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups whole milk, warmed
- 2 cups extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, freshly grated
- 2 cups American or Colby cheese, freshly grated or cubed Art Smith's calls for American
- salt and freshly ground pepper I used Tellichurry black pepper
- hot pepper sauce optional
- 1/3 cup Parmesan Reggiano cheese, freshly grated
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Bring pot of well-salted water to boil. Add noodles and boil until almost al dente. Drain.
- Butter a 4-quart casserole dish.
- Make a roux by melting the butter in a saucepan, and slowly adding the flour, stirring constantly. Whisk in the milk and simmer until thickened. Reduce to low for about 5 minutes more.
- Remove the roux from the heat, and stir in 1 cup of the extra-sharp cheddar and 1 cup of the American or colby cheese, along with the salt, pepper, and hot sauce to taste. Remember not to be stingy with the salt.
- Blend remaining cheeses. Now here comes the fun part! Place 1/3 of the cooked noodles on bottom of casserole, topped with 1/2 of the cheese mixture, then 1/3 of the sauce mixture. Add another layer with 1/3 of the noodles, topped with the remaining cheese mixture and another 1/3 of sauce. For the final layer, add remaining noodles, remaining sauce, and top with Parmesan cheese.
- Bake for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
Related: Clementine’s Prizewinning Potato Salad
