Macaroni and Cheese with Crunchy

For the white sauce: (watch technique video here)

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 3 cups cold milk
• small pinch of nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, or few springs of fresh
• 1 1/2 teaspoons table salt, or to taste

Cheeses I used:

• 1/2 pound shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/4 pound shredded Gruyere cheese

For the potato chip topping:

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 bag (minus 6-7 chips) white cheddar kettle-style potato chips, crushed into medium-fine crumbs
• 1/3 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (real Parmesan cheese)
• 2 tablespoons plain breadcrumbs

So, the concept here is simple. Make a batch of béchamel (basic white sauce) using the recipe below. If you need to watch the technique, here is a video recipe for it, but use this post's measurements. To that add 12 ounces of really good cheese, and when it's melted, mix into cooked macaroni.

That would make a great meal as is, but when you add a big spoon of this impossibly crispy, cheesy, crunchy, buttery love…well, damn. Not only is this delicious, but it's a triumph of textural perfection. It's also a versatile recipe, as you can make the topping mixture and the white sauce ahead of time. I hope you give it a try, enjoy!