by Laura Frankel

My oldest son Zachary is a champion for this dish. He is always happy when I serve it. One time, he came home desperate for a copy of the recipe, as he was going to a friend’s house for a card game. Why did he need it? He never really said. I sometimes flatter myself that the recipe was part of the “pot” at the card game that evening. Needless to say, it is a family favorite and the ultimate comfort dish.

Quick Tip: Do steps 1-5 up to a day ahead of time and store covered in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before baking.

Ingredients:

Unsalted butter, for greasing the casserole
1 pound macaroni or favorite pasta shape
1 cup sour cream
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 medium shallot, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 cups whole milk
3 cups grated Cheddar cheese (3/4 pound)
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs (panko is perfect for this)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
(For the grown-ups add: caramelized onions and mushrooms as pictured above)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease an ovenproof casserole or baking dish.
2. Bring a large saucepan with salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente (about 10 minutes depending upon size of pasta; follow package directions). Drain pasta and transfer to a large bowl. Stir in the sour cream and set aside.
3. Meanwhile, melt 3 tablespoons butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic and cook until light golden brown, about 3 minutes. Add flour and stir together. Cook the roux for several minutes to remove the raw flour flavor.
4. While shallot mixture is cooking, in a small saucepan, heat the milk until simmering. Add milk all at once to flour mixture, whisking to prevent lumps. Cook until thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add the cheese and stir until melted and incorporated. Season the cheese sauce with salt and pepper and stir into the pasta. Transfer the pasta to the greased casserole.
5. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Stir in the bread crumbs and sprinkle on top of casserole. Bake until bubbly and golden, about 30 minutes.

Serves 6 generously