Three Cheese Macaroni and Cheese

• 1 lb. elbow macaroni
• 5 tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
• ¼ c. all-purpose flour
• 3 c. whole milk, heated
• 1 ½ c. extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 ½ c. Gruyère or Swiss cheese, shredded
• 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
• pinch salt, to taste
• splash red pepper sauce, to taste
• ½ c. Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated
• 2 tbsp. dried bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly butter a deep 8-cup baking dish.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat. Stir in macaroni. Cook until macaroni is almost but not quite tender (remember, it will bake in oven), about 8 minutes. Transfer macaroni to a colander and drain well.

Add 4 tbsp. of butter to pasta pot and melt over medium heat. Whisk in flour and reduce heat to low. Let bubble without browning for 2 minutes. Whisk in hot milk and cook, whisking often, until simmering and thickened. Remove from heat and whisk in cheddar, Gruyère, and mustard. Return macaroni to pot and mix well. Season with salt and red pepper sauce. Spread in baking dish. Mix Parmigiano-Reggiano and bread crumbs and sprinkle over macaroni. Dot with remaining 1 tbsp. of butter.

Bake until macaroni is bubbling throughout, about 25 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes, then serve hot.