Gratin de Macaroni- Les Chefs de France

Directions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Butter a large baking dish; set aside.
• Begin cooking macaroni until just al dente, or slightly underdone. (Keep a close eye on your pasta while you cook the sauce – you would not want to overcook it!) Drain and set aside when done.
• While the macaroni cooks, heat milk in a small saucepan over medium heat – do not let simmer.
• Melt butter in a medium saucepan.
• Add flour to melted butter.
• Stir 1 to 2 minutes, until butter-flour mixture is golden.
• Slowly whisk in warm milk.
• Add nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
• Cook sauce, whisking often, until thickened – about 10 min.
• Remove from heat.
• Add heavy cream and half of the Gruyère cheese.
• Stir until cheese is completely melted.
• Combine macaroni with cheese sauce.
• Pour the macaroni and cheese into the large baking dish.
• Top with remaining half of Gruyère and Parmesan.
• Cover dish with foil.
• Bake 10 minutes.
• Remove foil and continue baking until cheese is golden brown.
• Remove from oven and let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.