Mac and cheese with sourdough breadcrumbs

Delicious mac and cheese topped with crispy sourdough breadcrumbs for added crunch and flavor. Perfect comfort food for any occasion!

Ingredients:

• tablespoon olive oil
• cup finely chopped shallots
• tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• cups sourdough croutons (see Caesar Salad recipe), coarsely crumbled
• /4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
• /4 cup all purpose flour
• /4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• /2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter
• cups whole milk
• cups (packed) coarsely grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese, divided
• cups (packed) coarsely grated Fontina cheese, divided
• /2 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese, divided
• cups reserved cooked ziti
• Chopped fresh Italian parsley

Instructions:

1. Heat up some oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add chopped onions and fresh rosemary; cook for about 5 minutes. Add in some cubed bread pieces. Let it cool down before stirring in chopped parsley.
2. Get the oven ready at 375°F. Grease a glass baking dish sized 13x9x2 inches with butter. Combine flour, a bit of cayenne pepper, and nutmeg in a small bowl. In a large pot, melt some butter over medium-high heat. Mix in the flour mixture and cook for about a minute without letting it brown. Slowly pour in milk and bring it to a simmer. Let it cook until the sauce thickens, which should take around 4 to 5 minutes. Add 2 cups of cheddar cheese, 2 cups of Fontina cheese, and 1/4 cup of Pecorino Romano cheese into the sauce and season it well with salt and pepper. Mix in the pasta and take the pot off the heat. Combine 1 cup of cheddar cheese, 1 cup of Fontina cheese, and 1/4 cup of Pecorino Romano cheese in a small bowl. Start layering the baking dish with half of the pasta mixture, followed by the cheese mixture; repeat the layers. Sprinkle some breadcrumbs on top. Cover the dish with foil and bake it for about 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake it some more until the top turns golden, which should take around 10 to 12 minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley before serving.

Summary:

• Calories: 6989 kcal
• Fat: 403 g
• Protein: 326 g
• Carbs: 514 g
• Potassium: 3365 mg
• Magnesium: 579 mg