Description

This easy to make dish can be a side or a main dish. Either way, you'll be happy that you made it. It will definitely be such a hit, it will be on your rotation list of recipes.

Ingredients

• unsalted butter for greasing baking dish, plus 4 T. (1/2 stick)*
• salt, to taste
• 1 lb. elbow macaroni
• 2 t. truffle oil or more to taste
• 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
• 1/2 t. sweet paprika
• 1/2 t. Dijon mustard
• 2 c milk
• 1 c. half-and-half
• freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1 1/2 c. shredded Gruyère cheese
• 1 1/2 c. shredded white Cheddar cheese
• 2 T. minced fresh chives

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 9x13 inch baking dish.
2. Bring a large saucepan of well salted water to a boil over high heat. Add pasta; cook, stirring occasionally, until not quite al dente, about 2 minutes less than the package instructions. Drain; transfer to a large bowl. While the pasta is still warm, drizzle with truffle oil; stir well.
3. Return saucepan to medium-high heat; melt 4 T. butter. Add flour, paprika and mustard; cook, stirring well, until no visible flour remains, 1 - 3 minutes. Whisk in milk, half-and-half and a generous pinch of salt; bring to a boil; simmer, whisking frequently to smooth out any lumps, for 4 - 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add a pinch of pepper and 1 c. each of Gruyère and Cheddar cheeses; stir until smooth.