White Truffle Mac and Cheese (aka Fancy Schmancy Mac & Cheese)

Ingredients

½ cup butter

½ cup chopped red onion

½ cup chopped garlic

½ cup all-purpose flour

2 cups whole milk

1½ cup cooked cavatappi pasta

2 Tbsp plus 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary

2 Tbsp plus 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

2 Tbsp plus 2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil

¼ cup infused white truffle oil

1½ cup grated Parmesan

¼ cup Japanese bread crumbs (panko)

to taste salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

Directions

Cook pasta according to package directions.

Preheat the broiler. Add butter to a saucepan over medium-high heat. Saute onions and garlic until they turn slightly brown. Add flour and whisk together for 3 minutes to make a blonde roux. Whisk in milk and bring to a boil, stirring constantly to prevent the roux from burning. Cook for approximately 10 minutes or until the roux has dissolved completely and you can no longer taste the flour. Add pasta and stir until hot. Add fresh herbs, truffle oil, and half of the Parmesan and stir until dissolved. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Put all ingredients into an ovenproof dish and sprinkle the remaining cheese and bread crumbs on top evenly. Place under a broiler until top becomes golden brown.

 

Source ~ My Dear Friend Jennie via San Diego Restaurants dot com via Gaslamp Strip Club (Restaurant Side Dish)

 

Patti’s notes: Cavatappi is measured before cooking the pasta.  I personally think the cavatappi makes this recipe great so I wouldn’t substitute with other pasta. YMMV.  I make this recipe as-is and my nephew’s youngest son says it’s the best ever. 

Side note: I have developed an allergic reaction to truffle oil so I don’t eat this anymore because I can’t possibly make it for him without one of the “fancy schmancy” parts. 

 

Health-o-Meter: Why even go there?  Remember, it's a side dish.  It is not recommended to eat the entire pan when nobody is looking!  ;-) 

 

Easy Meter: Not bad.  Lots of herb chopping and babysitting the roux so I would ever-so-slightly elevate it up a half a notch from easy. 

Sorry, not photos.  I'll take photos next time I make it.