“ World's Best” Macaroni & Cheese

Preheat oven to 350 F. Set a large pot of water on high heat.

The roux should be “cooked” and free of the flour flavor but still light in color.

Cook the sauce for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to avoid scorching.

Somewhere during this sauce-cooking process, your pasta water has started boiling. The original is made with Penne noodles. Add a generous amount of salt to the water and cook the pasta until almost—but not quite—al dente (two minutes before the package directions indicate). You want barely undercooked pasta so that it can finish in the oven later. Halt the cooking by draining the pasta and rinsing with cold water. Return pasta to pot.

Dish the mixture into a buttered 9”-13” pan and sprinkle with extra grated cheeses and cayenne. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes, until you have beautiful, browned edges. Those edges will be a welcome and flavorful addition to each serving.