Crusty Baked Macaroni and Cheese

I happen to love a "crusty" top on my Baked Macaroni and Cheese, so came up with the following variation as an alternative to the "creamy" variety. I use Ziti or Rigatoni, instead of elbow macaroni, for a chewier texture. I also do one layer of the pasta and the cheese in as large a shallow casserole (glass, ceramic, rectangular metal pan) as needed, to get as much "cheese crust" as possible. You can easily double, triple, etc. the recipe, in which case I do two layers of macaroni with butter and cheese over each layer.

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 lb ziti pasta or 1⁄2 lb rigatoni pasta
• 1  cup milk
• 2  tablespoons flour
• 4  tablespoons butter
•  salt and pepper
• 3 -4  cups extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 400ºF.
2. Boil pasta al dente.
3. Drain and put the pasta in one layer in a large shallow casserole.
4. Whisk the milk and flour until well blended. Salt and pepper to taste.
5. Pour the milk & flour mixture over the pasta.
6. Dot the butter all over the pasta.
7. Sprinkle the cheese over the top of the pasta to cover it fully.
8. Bake for 30-40 minutes until top is browned and crusty.
9. If desired, after about 20 minutes, you can put the casserole under the broiler to brown the top faster.