Macaroni and Cheese

This undated photo provided by America's Test Kitchen in October 2018 shows Macaroni and Cheese in Brookline, Mass. This recipe appears in the cookbook "Revolutionary Recipes." (Carl Tremblay/America's Test Kitchen via AP)

Servings: 4

Start to finish: 45 minutes

Bread Crumbs:

3 slices hearty white sandwich bread, torn into quarters

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Salt

Macaroni and Cheese:

2 large eggs

1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk

1 teaspoon dry mustard, dissolved in 1 teaspoon water

Salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon hot sauce

8 ounces elbow macaroni (2 cups)

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

12 ounces sharp cheddar, American, or Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (3 cups)

For the bread crumbs: Pulse bread in food processor to coarse crumbs, about 10 pulses. Melt butter in 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add bread crumbs and cook, stirring often, until beginning to brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Season with salt to taste; set aside.

For the macaroni and cheese: Mix eggs, 1 cup evaporated milk, mustard mixture, 1/2 teaspoon salt, pepper, and hot sauce in bowl.

Meanwhile, bring 2 quarts water to boil in Dutch oven. Add pasta and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Drain pasta and return to pot over low heat. Add butter and toss to melt.

Add egg mixture and three-quarters of cheese to pasta and toss until thoroughly combined and cheese starts to melt. Gradually add remaining evaporated milk and remaining cheese, stirring constantly, until mixture is hot and creamy, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately, sprinkling individual portions with toasted bread crumbs.

Variation:

“Baked” Macaroni and Cheese: Add 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese to toasted bread crumbs. Adjust oven rack 6 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Transfer macaroni and cheese mixture to a 13-by-9-inch broiler-safe baking dish and sprinkle with bread-crumb mixture. Broil until topping turns deep golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Let casserole cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Nutrition information per serving: 880 calories; 463 calories from fat; 52 g fat (32 g saturated; 1 g trans fats); 249 mg cholesterol; 1063 mg sodium; 65 g carbohydrate; 3 g fiber; 11 g sugar; 36 g protein.

For more recipes, cooking tips and ingredient and product reviews, visit https://www.americastestkitchen.com. Find more recipes like Macaroni and Cheese in “Revolutionary Recipes .”

America’s Test Kitchen provided this article to The Associated Press.