Truffle Mac & Cheese

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 14 ounces elbow macaroni or short pasta

→ Cheese Sauce

02 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

03 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

04 - 2 cups whole milk

05 - 4 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated

06 - 4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated

07 - 3 ounces Fontina cheese, grated

08 - 2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated

09 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

10 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

11 - 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus additional for pasta water

12 - Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

→ Topping and Finish

13 - 2 tablespoons black truffle oil

14 - 0.7 ounces fresh black truffle, thinly shaved, or 1 to 2 teaspoons high-quality truffle paste

15 - 1.5 ounces panko breadcrumbs

16 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

17 - 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated

18 - Fresh chives, finely chopped, optional for garnish

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 390°F. Grease a medium baking dish with butter or cooking spray.

02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add macaroni and cook according to package instructions until just al dente. Drain thoroughly and set aside.

03 - In a large saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add flour and whisk continuously for 1 to 2 minutes until the mixture reaches a pale golden color.

04 - Gradually pour in milk while whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until the sauce thickens noticeably.

05 - Remove from heat and add Gruyère, cheddar, Fontina, and Parmesan cheeses. Stir until completely melted and smooth. Season with Dijon mustard, black pepper, salt, and nutmeg.

06 - Add the cooked macaroni to the cheese sauce and stir thoroughly until every piece is evenly coated.

07 - Pour the macaroni and cheese mixture into the prepared baking dish, spreading evenly.

08 - In a small bowl, combine panko breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan, and melted butter. Mix until the breadcrumbs are evenly moistened.

09 - Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture evenly over the pasta. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the top is golden brown and the edges are bubbling.

10 - Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Drizzle with black truffle oil and scatter shaved truffle over the surface. Garnish with fresh chives if desired, then serve.

# Expert Tips:

01 -

It tastes like an expensive restaurant dish but lives happily on weeknight weeknight dinner rotation.
The cheese sauce is so silky and forgiving that you'll wonder why you ever made mac and cheese any other way.
That hit of truffle at the end feels like a small luxury without actually requiring you to be fancy or fussy.

02 -

Don't add the truffle oil to the sauce while it's cooking—heat destroys its delicate, earthy character, so save it for the final drizzle when everything is already plated or in the dish.
Cook your pasta one minute under the recommended time because it will keep cooking gently in the oven, and nothing saddens a creamy pasta dish quite like mushy tubes.

03 -