The Carbon Bar's Mac and Cheese

15 mins Prep Time

35 mins Cook Time

Written By

Robin Winship

Everyone can appreciate mac and cheese. Rich Mornay sauce coats perfectly al dente noodles, with a generous sprinkling of cheese and breadcrumbs, that all gets baked to a perfectly golden brown crispy exterior. In times like this, we could all use a tried and true comfort food classic, so try The Carbon Bar's original recipe for mac and cheese. The addition of chipotle and smoked ham adds an extra layer of spice and complexity -- rounding out the richness of the dish.

If you give this recipe a shot, make sure to post up your creation on Instagram and tag @tastetoronto and @thecarbonbar!

Ingredients

Mac and Cheese

400g cavatappi pasta
1 L Mornay sauce (see recipe below)
1 cup grated gruyère cheese
1 cup grated aged cheddar
1 cup grated mozzarella
2 cups smoked diced ham
2 tsp canned chipotle puree
1 cup of dry bread crumbs
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste

Mornay Sauce

100 mL all-purpose flour
100 mL unsalted butter
1.2 L whole milk
2 bay leaves
1 tsp whole black peppercorns
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 cup grated gruyère cheese
1 cup grated aged cheddar
1 tbsp kosher salt

Directions

Mornay Sauce

3 Steps

Step 1

To make the roux, melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed pot, then add the flour and mix until well incorporated. Continue cooking the mixture on low heat for about five minutes, making sure to stir the roux every few minutes. The roux should be blonde in colour.
Step 2

Heat up the milk separately in a small pot with the bay leaves, peppercorns and thyme. Steep for 10 minutes at a low simmer. Remove the whole spices and herbs and gradually stream the milk into the pot with the cooked roux, stirring constantly with a whisk until all the milk has been incorporated.
Step 3

Continue to cook the sauce gently until it thickens, stirring every few minutes with a wooden spoon to prevent burning on the bottom of the pot. Mix in the cheeses until melted and add the salt (adjust for seasoning). Set aside.

Mac and Cheese

6 Steps

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step 2

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water according to the package instructions (usually 1 or 2 minutes less for al dente).
Step 3

Strain the pasta through a colander and let cool on a large baking tray. Add a little olive oil to prevent the pasta from sticking.
Step 4

Set aside a 1/4 cup of each of the three cheeses to sprinkle on top at the end.
Step 5

Place the cooled pasta in a mixing bowl, and add the mornay sauce, chipotle, diced smoked ham and 3/4 cup of each cheese. Mix all the ingredients together. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 6

Divide mixture into baking dish. Sprinkle cheese and bread crumbs on top. Bake for 20 minutes or until the top starts to look golden brown and melted. Serve immediately.