Reduce to a simmer and continue to cook and stir until the mixture is slightly thicker than heavy cream. Whisk in the milk and bring the mixture just to a boil, stirring with the wooden spoon and making sure to scrape each part of the surface of the pan so that hunks of flour or milk do not stick. Whisk in the flour, then switch to a wooden spoon and stir steadily over medium-high heat until the mixture begins to turn a nutty golden brown, about 2 minutes. In the still-hot macaroni pot, heat the butter over medium-high heat until it foams and subsides.
You will be switching back and forth between the two utensils as you first make a roux and then build on that to make a béchamel. Make sure you have both a whisk and a wooden spoon nearby, and something to rest them on. Cook according to the package instructions until just al dente, then drain and set aside.
In a large, heavy-bottom pot, bring salted water to a boil and add the elbow macaroni. If you add truffle oil, which is made from a petroleum-based chemical additive and the crushed dreams of nineties culinary mediocrity, you should be punched in the kidneys.Ĩ ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, gratedĤ ounces cooked and thinly sliced ham, julienned (optional)Ģ teaspoons salt, or more to taste freshly ground white pepper to taste (optional) Get that damn lobster out of my mac and cheese! Truffles do not make it better.
