Gruyere Mac and Cheese -- The Noodles That Hold a Family Together

Mother's Day. The children came — David and Jennifer with all four grandchildren, Rebecca with Thomas — and the house was full again, full in the way that only grandchildren can make a house full: with noise and spills and negotiations and the specific chaos of four children under nine in a grandmother's kitchen, which is the kind of chaos I crave, the kind I was built for, the kind that fills the empty spaces that Marvin's absence has created.

Ethan made me a card. He is eight, and his cards have evolved from drawings to prose — the card was a paragraph, written in his careful, teacher's-kid handwriting, about how Bubbe's kitchen smells like "the best thing in the world" and how "the best thing in the world is different every time but it's always the best." This is, I note, an excellent insight for an eight-year-old, and I intend to keep this card until the day I die, which will be well after Ethan has forgotten writing it, but I will remember, because remembering is my job.

Sophie made me a drawing of the kitchen — architecturally impossible but emotionally accurate, as always: a very large stove surrounded by happy people, with a very large woman (me) in the center, holding a spoon. The spoon in the drawing is bigger than the people. This is correct. The spoon IS bigger than the people. The spoon is the tool. The tool is the power. The woman with the spoon is in charge, and the woman with the spoon is me, and Sophie knows this, and the drawing is proof.

I made Sylvia's kugel. The Mother's Day kugel. The chain. The spoon.

Sylvia’s kugel lives in my hands now — the same motion, the same pot, the same obligation to feed the people who fill your kitchen with beautiful noise. But for the rest of the table, the children needed something they could reach for with both hands, something golden and bubbling and unapologetically rich, and that is where this Gruyere Mac and Cheese earns its place: it is, in every way that matters, the same promise as the kugel — noodles and warmth and the certainty that the woman with the spoon has taken care of you. Sophie’s drawing got it right. The spoon is bigger than the people. Make this, and you’ll understand why.

Gruyere Mac and Cheese

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 35 minutes | Total Time: 50 minutes | Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 1 lb cavatappi or elbow macaroni
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 cups whole milk, warmed
• 1 cup heavy cream, warmed
• 2 cups Gruyere cheese, freshly shredded
• 1 cup sharp white cheddar, freshly shredded
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more for pasta water
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup plain panko breadcrumbs
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted (for topping)
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves (optional, for topping)

Instructions

1. Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta 2 minutes less than the package directs — it will finish in the oven. Drain and set aside.
2. Make the roux. In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, melt 4 tablespoons of butter. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking constantly, for 1 to 2 minutes until the mixture is pale golden and smells faintly nutty.
3. Build the béchamel. Slowly pour in the warmed milk and cream, whisking continuously to prevent lumps. Raise the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 to 7 minutes.
4. Add the cheese. Reduce heat to low. Stir in the Dijon mustard, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Add the Gruyere and cheddar in three additions, stirring until each addition is fully melted and the sauce is smooth and glossy. Taste and adjust seasoning.
5. Combine. Add the drained pasta to the cheese sauce and stir gently until every piece is well coated. Transfer to a buttered 9x13-inch baking dish and spread into an even layer.
6. Make the topping. Toss the panko breadcrumbs with the 2 tablespoons of melted butter and the thyme leaves if using. Scatter evenly over the top of the mac and cheese.
7. Bake. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Bake uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes, until the top is deep golden brown and the edges are bubbling. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 540 | Protein: 23g | Fat: 29g | Carbs: 49g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 510mg