Is there any comfort food more popular than mac and cheese? The classic gets a little bit more decadent in the recipe below. The ooey-gooey sauce is tossed, not with regular noodles, but with pillowy potato gnocchi. Top with more cheese and bake until golden brown for a dish everyone will love.
The secret to a great mac and cheese is a
combination of cheeses: Smoked mozzarella, sharp cheddar and zingy Parmesan make this dish sing. Pre-shredded cheeses are often coated with cornstarch, so shred your own instead for a super-cheesy sauce. A sprinkle of buttered bread crumbs finishes the dish off nicely.
Gnocchi macaroni and cheese
8
10 minutes
30 minutes
40 minutes
2 16-ounce packages gnocchi
6 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons flour
3 cups whole milk
6 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, divided
4 ounces smoked mozzarella cheese, cubed
2 tablespoons melted butter
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
Preheat the oven to 450 F.
Cook the gnocchi according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, heat the butter in a saucepan over low heat. Add the flour and whisk together. Cook until the mixture just begins to bubble and begin to turn slightly yellow.
Add about 1/4 cup of the milk, whisking vigorously until the mixture becomes homogenous. Add another 1/4 cup of the milk and whisk until smooth. Continue adding milk 1/4 cup at a time, stirring after each addition, until all of the milk is added. Bring to a simmer, whisking continuously, and cook until the mixture has thickened enough that it coats a wooden spoon.
Remove the sauce from the heat and add the shredded cheddar, cream cheese, black pepper and half of the Parmesan. Whisk until the sauce is smooth.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the sauce with the gnocchi. Stir until well combined. Add the smoked mozzarella and toss together. Pour the mixture into a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish.
In a small bowl, combine the remaining Parmesan, melted butter and breadcrumbs. Sprinkle over the top.
Bake for about 10 minutes, or until bubbly and browned on top.
