Five Cheese Crab Mac & Cheese
| Category: | Savoury Mains Sauces, Rubs & Marinades |
Ingredients
For
1
Batch(es)
Bechemel Sauce
| 80 g butter, unsalted, cubed |
| 80 g Frankie's gluten-free all-purpose flour blend |
| 3 1/2 cups milk, whole |
| 1/4 tsp Kosher salt |
Pasta
| 10 cups boiling water |
| 1 1/2 tsp Kosher salt |
| 680 g gluten-free pasta (shape of your choice) |
Cheese and condiments
| 1 cup Gruyere |
| 1 cup Parmigiano Regiano |
| 1 cup Jarlsberg |
| 1 cup Marble |
| 1 cup 5 year old cheddar |
| 1 1/2 cups crunched up plain chips |
| 1/4 cup toasted bread crumbs |
| 150 g crab meat (I used a tin) |
Five Cheese Crab Mac & Cheese Directions
- Begin by preparing a classic béchamel sauce. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
- While the butter melts, season a large pot of water generously with salt and place it over high heat to bring it to a boil. Keep the lid on to speed up the process.
- Once the butter is fully melted, whisk in the flour to form a roux.
- Gradually add milk to the roux, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Start with a small amount, then continue adding the milk little by little.
- Reduce the heat to low as the sauce thickens. Switch to a spatula to stir and scrape the bottom to prevent sticking. Keep stirring until the mixture is smooth and has thickened nicely.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and set the rack to the middle position.
- When the pasta water reaches a rolling boil, add your noodles and stir well to prevent them from sticking. Once the water returns to a boil, reduce the heat slightly and cook the pasta for about seven minutes or until al dente.
- Turn off the heat on your béchamel once it has thickened sufficiently. Stir in the crab meat, making sure to incorporate it well.
- Add half of each cheese: Parmigiano-Reggiano, Gruyère, five-year-old cheddar, Jarlsberg, and marble cheese. Stir until the cheeses begin to melt and the mixture becomes smooth and creamy.
- Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Stir again to combine.
- When the pasta is cooked: drain the pasta and shake off any excess water. You want the noodles fairly dry so they don’t water down the sauce.
- Add the cooked pasta directly into the cheese sauce. Stir thoroughly to ensure every noodle is well coated in the creamy, cheesy mixture.
- Transfer the mixture to a buttered or greased baking dish. Spread it out evenly with a spatula.
- Top with the reserved shredded cheese, bread crumbs and crumbled chips — sprinkle it evenly over the entire surface to create a delicious cheesy crust.
- Bake at 375°F or 190°C for 25–30 minutes, or until the top is golden and bubbling. And finish under the broiler for a few minutes to get that golden colour.
- Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes before serving.
- Serve hot — scoop out generous portions and enjoy the creamy, gooey, gluten-free mac and cheese goodness!
