Smoky Cheese Mac and Cheese

Pasos

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the macaroni very al dente, about two minutes less than the package instructions: they should be soft on the outside but still firm in the center, since they will finish cooking in the sauce. Drain without rinsing.
2. While the pasta cooks, preheat the oven to 190 °C using conventional heat. Butter a large, deep enough baking dish so the mac and cheese stays substantial and creamy beneath the crust.
3. Melt the unsalted butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. When it foams without browning and smells like warm butter, add the flour and whisk. Cook the roux, stirring constantly, until it turns pale blond and smells slightly biscuit-like, without browning.
4. Gradually pour the whole milk over the roux, whisking continuously at first to prevent lumps. Once the base is smooth, continue cooking over medium-low heat until you have a thick, coating béchamel: it should cover the back of a spoon and leave a clean track when you run a finger through it.
5. Lower the heat to its minimum. Add the Dijon mustard, mild smoked paprika, fine salt, and ground black pepper. Mix, taste, and adjust the seasoning: the sauce should taste slightly more seasoned than a sauce served on its own, since the pasta will mellow it.
6. Off the heat, add the grated cheeses by the handful, mixing between each addition. The sauce should become smooth, glossy, and very stretchy. If it seems too thick before adding the pasta, loosen it with a small splash of hot milk rather than bringing it back to a boil.
7. Add the drained macaroni to the cheese sauce. Mix with a spatula, lifting well from the bottom, until every pasta piece is coated and the sauce fills the curves of the macaroni.
8. Pour the mixture into the buttered dish. Smooth it without packing it down: the top should be even, but the interior should remain airy for a melting texture.
9. Cover the entire surface with fine plain breadcrumbs. Bake until the edges gently bubble, the surface is golden, and a few points of cheese rise through the crust.
10. Let rest out of the oven before serving. This rest is essential: the sauce settles, stays creamy when cut, and does not run like soup. Serve hot, with a crisp crust on top and a very melting center.