Creamiest Mac And Cheese

• Ghee, 5 1/2 tablespoons (or melted unsalted butter)
• All purpose flour, 1/2 cup, plus extra if needed
• Chicken broth, 2 2/3 cups (hot)
• Heavy cream, 2 cups
• Kosher salt, 1 tablespoon plus 1 1/4 teaspoons, and extra for serving
• Freshly ground black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon plus a pinch, and extra for serving
• Shallots, 3 medium (halved lengthwise and roughly chopped)
• Garlic, 7 whole cloves
• Smoked gouda cheese, 1 pound (coarsely grated)
• Whole-wheat pasta shells, 1 pound
• Panko bread crumbs, 2 cups
• Extra-virgin olive oil, 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon

1. 1. In a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat, combine:
2. - 5 tablespoons ghee
3. - All-purpose flour
4. The mixture should look like wet sand; if it doesn't add more flour 1 tablespoon at a time. Continue to stir until the mixture is smooth and thick and starts to stick to the bottom of the pan, 1 to 3 minutes. While whisking, vigorously add in:
5. - 1 1/3 cups hot chicken broth
6. Once the chicken broth is incorporated, whisk in the:
7. - Heavy cream
8. Simmer the sauce until thickened and reduced slightly, about 15 minutes. Season with:
9. - 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
10. - Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
11. Turn off the heat.
12. 2. In a medium skillet set over medium-high heat, add the:
13. - Remaining 1/2 tablespoon ghee
14. - Roughly chopped shallots
15. - Garlic cloves
16. Cook, stirring often, until the shallots are translucent, 8 to 10 minutes. Pour in the remaining:
17. - 1 1/3 cups hot chicken broth
18. Simmer the shallot-garlic mixture until the shallots and garlic are soft, about 5 minutes, then transfer to a blender and blend until completely smooth. Pour the blended shallot-garlic mixture into the saucepan with the cream mixture. Turn the heat on to medium and simmer the mixture for 5 minutes (if the sauce seems too thick and pasty, thin it with a little water).
19. 3. Pour half of the hot cream sauce into the blender and blend on low speed while adding half of the:
20. - Grated smoked gouda cheese
21. Pass mixture through fine-mesh sieve.
22. Season with salt and pepper, if needed.
23. 4. Cook pasta as directed. Add enough of the cheese mixture to pasta to generously coat. Transfer to 9-inch baking dish. Ladle remaining cheese sauce over the top of the pasta.
24. 5. In small bowl, mix together:
25. - Panko breadcrumbs
26. - EVOO
27. - Remaining salt and pepper
28. Sprinkle breadcrumbs over pasta and bake at 350 degrees, until breadcrumbs are toasted, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve hot.

flour, chicken broth, heavy cream, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, shallots, garlic, gouda cheese, pasta, bread crumbs, extravirgin olive oil

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/creamiest-mac-and-cheese-51887041 (may not work)