Macaroni au Gratin

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •12-inch (30 cm) sautépan
• •2-quart (1.9 L) shallow, high-heat-safe gratin dish
• •Fine grater
• •Rimmed baking sheet

Instructions

1. 1

   Heat the fierce oven

   Set a rack in the upper third of the oven and heat it fully to 475°F (245°C), with a rimmed baking sheet inside. Butter a shallow 2-quart (1.9 L) gratin dish with the softened tablespoon of butter. Mix the Gruyère and Parmesan, then scatter about 2 tablespoons of the mixture across the buttered base. The hot sheet and shallow dish are the home equivalents of the fierce range: they form the gratin quickly without drying the macaroni.

   Use a ceramic or metal dish marked safe for high heat. If it cannot face the broiler, rely on the upper oven rack for the final color.
2. 2

   Loosen the macaroni

   Put the warm Macaroni à l’Italienne (No. 2285) in a broad sautépan over low heat. Fold in ½ cup (120 ml) of the warm Béchamel, tossing only until the macaroni is glossy, coherent, and relaxed enough to settle from the spoon. Add the remaining Béchamel by tablespoons only if it still feels tight. If the cheese turns oily or stringy, take the pan off the heat at once. Ça se rattrape: beat in a tablespoon of reserved Béchamel until the emulsion comes together, then stop heating. The sauce should cling, never pool.

3. 3

   Build the crust

   Spoon the macaroni into the prepared dish and level it lightly without packing it down. Combine the raspings with the remaining grated cheese, drizzle over the 2 tablespoons of melted butter, and toss until the crumbs resemble damp golden sand. Scatter this mixture evenly from rim to rim. Cheese alone leathers under fierce heat; the raspings separate it, absorb the butter, and give the crust its bite. This step is the dish, not brigade scaffolding, so keep it.

4. 4

   Form the gratin

   Set the dish on the hot baking sheet and bake for 8 to 12 minutes, until the Béchamel bubbles visibly around the rim and the crown is deeply bronzed. This is the rapid form described under Gratins (No. 268): everything beneath the crust is already cooked, so the oven’s work is color, not a long bake. Rotate the dish once if one side colors faster. If the edges bubble while the top remains pale, broil for 30 to 60 seconds, watching without interruption; if the crust races ahead, move the dish down one rack.

5. 5

   Rest and serve

   Let the gratin stand for 5 minutes, just long enough for the sauce to settle around the macaroni while the crust remains crisp. Bring the dish straight to the table and serve broad spoonfuls that break through the bronzed top into the creamy center. A sharp green salad needs no further ceremony beside it. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Raspings are very fine crumbs made from thoroughly dry bread, preferably a plain baguette or country loaf. Grate the dry bread or pulse it briefly, then sift away any large pieces. Panko is too coarse and makes a separate crust rather than the close, buttery crown intended here.
• •Grate both cheeses finely. Coarse strands melt into ropes and brown unevenly; fine cheese mingles with the raspings and gives one continuous crust.
• •Choose a shallow dish with plenty of surface area. A deep casserole protects the creamy center but cheats you of the gratin, and the crust is why this dish exists.
• •Serve with a mustard-sharp green salad and either a brisk dry white or a lightly chilled Beaujolais. The acidity clears the butter and cheese without competing with them.

Advance Preparation

• •The Macaroni à l’Italienne (No. 2285) and Béchamel can be prepared separately up to one day ahead, cooled promptly, covered, and chilled. Rewarm them gently before combining so the gratin reaches the oven hot.
• •The Gruyère, Parmesan, and dry raspings may be measured earlier in the day. Keep the raspings covered at room temperature and add the melted butter only immediately before baking, or the crust loses its bite.
• •For a fully assembled make-ahead base, combine the warm macaroni and Béchamel, place them in the buttered dish, cool, cover, and chill for up to one day without the topping. Warm it covered at 375°F (190°C) until hot at the center, then add the freshly buttered topping and finish in the fierce oven as directed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 300g)