This recipe for smoky baked mac and cheese is guaranteed to satisfy your carvings for the classic American fix-in. Here's a very simple recipe to try at home.
Boil about 4 quarts of water in a stockpot, cook pasta until al dente.
Rinse your stockpot. Then, over medium heat, using your same stockpot, add half the stick of butter, diced onion, bay leaves, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, and a pinch of salt. Sweat all these ingredients together until onions are translucent and spices are fragrant.
Once your aromatics are sweated completely, add in the other half of the stick of butter. And stir in flour. (Note: this is called a roux.)
Now that you have your roux made add in the milk and bring to a boil. (Note: be sure to whisk regularly to prevent anything from burning to the bottom of your pot.) Once the mixture boils, reduce heat to medium and simmer for 20 minutes quickly.
After simmering, begin to infuse your aromatics into your milk. Turn off heat and add the shredded cheddar 1/4 at a time, stirring constantly. (Note: this is now your completed mornay sauce!) Hold onto a small amount of cheese, maybe half a cup, to the top before baking.
Now, combine the pasta with your finished mornay sauce, mix thoroughly, and place in a baking pan. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.
Bake for 30 minutes, then take out from the oven, and allow to cool for 10 minutes, and voilà!