A few inspired touches are all that’s needed to give an iconic comfort food a dinner-party makeover. Al dente pasta is generously coated in a classic cheddar sauce and gently combined with tender crabmeat, then topped with crunchy panko crumbs.
Ingredients
- Crumb Topping:
- 1 tbsp. butter
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Mac and Cheese:
- 1 pound cavatappi or elbow macaroni
- ¼ cup butter
- 3 tbsp. flour
- 2 cups milk
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 3 cups mild yellow Cheddar cheese
- 1 cup extra sharp white Cheddar cheese
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. mustard powder
- 1 ¼ cups (8 oz.) crabmeat with 1/3 cup extra crabmeat for top of casserole
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Lightly butter casserole dish.
- In a medium skillet heat butter and oil.
- Add panko and cook, stirring until lightly browned.
- Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan cheese. Set aside.
- Cook the pasta in boiling salted water until al dente. Drain well.
- In a medium saucepan melt butter and whisk in flour. Cook and stir for several minutes until bubbling.
- Whisk in milk and cream and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened and smooth.
- Remove from heat and add the cheeses, salt and mustard.
- Gently stir in 1 ¼ cups crabmeat. Spoon into prepared casserole.
- Place extra crabmeat on top and sprinkle lightly with crumb topping. Bake 25 to 30 minutes until sauce is bubbly and top is golden brown.
Makes: 6 servings.
Did you know?
Although you can use canned crabmeat, we recommend using crab leg clusters. In addition to getting big chunks of crab, the meat also tastes sweeter and fresher.
