a couple TBS finely minced fresh onion (or a few pinches onion powder)
2 cups milk, warmed
8 oz. macaroni (or other small pasta)
8-10 oz. cheese of choice, shredded – cheddar is always good
salt & pepper to taste
breadcrumbs (mixed with a little butter if you want)
optional: handful shredded Parmesan or pecorino, for topping
Instructions
Cook pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain and set aside.
Preheat oven to 375.
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Saute the minced onion until it’s just soft, but not brown.
Add flour and whisk to make a paste. Cook for 1-2 minutes to remove the floury taste, but again, don’t let it brown. Add a few tablespoons of milk if it’s more solid than paste-y.
Whisk in warm milk. Whisk well and bring to a slow simmer, until thickened.
Remove from heat and whisk in shredded cheese. Note, for extra creaminess, you can add a few cubes or spoonfuls of cream cheese too.
Whisk thoroughly until all the cheese is melted and it’s smooth – must do this off the heat, or the sauce will break.
Combine cooked pasta and sauce. Pour into a baking dish and top with breadcrumbs and optional Parmesan.
Bake about 20 minutes until it’s nice and bubbly and crumbs are crisp.