Serves 4-6

Béchamel Sauce:

Ingredients:

5 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

4 cups whole milk

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

4 cups of cooked pasta

1 cup of shredded cheese

Directions:

In a medium saucepan, heat the butter over medium-low heat until melted. Add the flour and stir until smooth. Over medium heat, cook until the mixture turns a light, golden sandy color, about 6 to 7 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the milk in a separate pan until just about to boil. Add the hot milk to the butter mixture 1 cup at a time, whisking continuously until very smooth. Bring to a boil. Cook 10 minutes, stirring constantly, then remove from heat- season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Set aside until ready to use.

At this point, add 1 cup of grated cheese to the béchamel. You can use anything here- fontina, sharp cheddar, brie, goat, jack, and Gouda are just a few examples.

Once the cheese is placed in the warm béchamel, let it sit for a few minutes so it can become soft. Whisk the mixture until the cheese is full incorporated.

Place equal parts of the béchamel-cheese mixture with your choice of pre-cooked pasta (make sure it’s not over-cooked!), and put in a greased oven-proof crock. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 25 minutes, or until you see the cheese begin to bubble, and the top forms a crust and turns brown.

Serve immediately!

If you really want to get fancy, try adding lobster or lump crab meat to the mix!