Ultimate Cheesy Pasta Bake

1. Preheat Oven

First, preheat your oven to 400°F so it's ready for baking when you need it.

2. Prepare Roux

In a heavy skillet over low heat, melt 3 tablespoons of butter. Once melted, add 3 tablespoons of flour and stir constantly with a whisk for about 3 minutes, or until the mixture bubbles gently. This is your roux, which will help thicken the sauce.

3. Make Sauce

Next, slowly whisk in 2.5 cups of milk. Continue whisking until the sauce thickens to the consistency of thick cream. Season the sauce with salt to taste and let it simmer over medium heat. After it begins to simmer, lower the heat and let it cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent it from sticking to the bottom.

4. Toast Breadcrumbs

While the sauce is cooking, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a heavy ovenproof skillet. Add 1.5 cups of fresh breadcrumbs and toast them in the oven for 10-15 minutes, or until they are lightly browned. Keep an eye on them to ensure they don’t burn.

5. Add Cheese to Sauce

Once your sauce has thickened, stir in the 8 ounces of grated cheese. Make sure the cheese is fully melted and integrated into the sauce, creating a velvety, cheesy mixture.

6. Cook Pasta

Meanwhile, cook 0.75 pound of short-cut pasta in a pot of salted boiling water until it is al dente. Drain the pasta.

7. Combine Pasta and Sauce

Combine the drained pasta with the cheese sauce in a buttered gratin dish, ensuring that the pasta is well coated with the sauce.

8. Bake Pasta

Finally, scatter the toasted breadcrumbs over the top of the pasta and bake in the oven for 15 minutes, or until the crumbs are golden brown.