I don't know about you… but I love truffles! I would add truffles to everything if I could. Truffles just take every recipe over the top and make it beyond amazing. This dish is creamy, cheesy, earthy, and everything else we all love about mac ’n cheese. I made this dish for some family and friends and they fell in love. I use the truffles in many different ways in this recipe... truffle in brine, truffle butter, truffle oil, truffle salt. To be honest, it is truffle heaven. The recipe is perfect too. With all those truffles and their pungent flavor, you can taste every aspect of this dish without the truffle overpowering it. This Mac ’n cheese is perfect for the holidays, with Christmas and more around the corner. But, it is also a fabulous and gourmet dish for any meal and day of the year.
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
6 cups whole milk
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon ground nutmeg
8 ounces Trader Joe's Freshly Shaved Parmesan, Romano, & Asiago Cheese blend
2 pounds of pasta (I used small shells but you can use any small noodle.)
1 Black Truffle in brine
3 tablespoons black truffle butter
1/4 teaspoon salt or truffle salt
¾ cup Panko breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons chopped parsley (OPTIONAL)
Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta in the pot of boiling water for 6 minutes (It will be very el dente). Drain completely.
Preheat the oven to 375°F and butter a 9 x 13-in baking dish.
Melt the butter in a large saucepan.
Add the flour and cook until lightly golden. Whisk in the milk and bring to a simmer. Whisk frequently and cook over medium-low heat until thickened.
Add in the cheeses to the sauce and whisk until melted.
Drizzle in processed truffle and 1 tablespoon of truffle butter. Mix well to combine.
Toss the pasta with the cheese sauce and then transfer to the buttered baking dish.
Melt the rest of the truffle butter in a small saucepan and season with salt (I love using truffle salt for this dish.). Toss the panko breadcrumbs in the melted butter and then spread in an even layer over the mac and cheese.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the top is golden and the cheesy is bubbly. Allow to cool slightly.
Drizzle the top with truffle oil, if desired, and garnish with chopped parsley. Serve warm.
