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Gratinéed Macaroni and Cheese with Tomatoes

You can use six 2-cup gratin dishes to make individual servings. The baking time will be a bit shorter; cook until bubbling and golden.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

7

tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for dish

1

1/4 cups small pieces torn baguette or other crusty bread

1

tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1

pound elbow macaroni or other short, tubular pasta

1

quart milk

5

tablespoons all-purpose flour

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

4

cups grated sharp white Cheddar cheese (about 1 pound)

1

pound red and yellow tomatoes in all sizes, cut into 1-inch pieces if large or halved if small (cherry, grape, or pear)

Need to make a substitution?

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Preheat the oven to 375°F. Butter a 9 × 13-inch baking dish or a 3-quart casserole dish; set aside. Melt 2 tablespoons butter, and pour over the bread in a medium bowl; toss. Add 1 teaspoon thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; toss.

    Step 2

    Bring a large pot of water to a boil; add salt. Cook the pasta until just beginning to soften, 2 to 3 minutes (it will not be fully cooked). Drain and rinse.

    Step 3

    Warm the milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Heat the remaining 5 tablespoons butter in a high-sided skillet (or a pot) over medium until foaming. Add the flour; whisk 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the warm milk. Cook, whisking, until bubbling and thickened, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

    Step 4

    Add 2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, the remaining 2 teaspoons thyme, the nutmeg, and cheese to pan; stir until the cheese is melted.

    Step 5

    Stir the pasta and tomatoes into the cheese sauce. Pour into the buttered dish; sprinkle with the bread topping. Bake until bubbling and golden, about 30 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

The cookbook cover with a blue background and fine typeface.
Reprinted with permission from The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook: The New Classics by Martha Stewart Living Magazine, copyright © 2007. Published by Clarkson Potter, a division of The Crown Publishing Group. Buy the full book from Amazon.
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