Truffle Mac and Cheese

Truffle mac and cheese is the side dish that ends up being what everyone talks about. It sits at this intersection of childhood comfort food and genuinely sophisticated flavors — three-cheese béchamel, black truffle, golden breadcrumb crust — that somehow manages to appeal to every person at the table, regardless of age or food adventurousness.

The truffle oil in the recipe is fine. Real black truffle paste is significantly better. If you can find it at a specialty food store, use it. The difference when the warm pasta hits it is something you can smell from across the room.

Ingredients (serves 10 as a side): - 1 lb shell or elbow pasta (conchiglie preferred) - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter - 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour - 3 cups whole milk - ¾ cup heavy cream - 5 oz sharp white cheddar, grated - 3½ oz Gruyère, grated - 3 oz Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated - 1 tablespoon black truffle paste or 1 teaspoon truffle oil - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard - Salt, white pepper, and nutmeg

Topping: - 3 ½ oz panko breadcrumbs - 2 tablespoons butter, melted - 1 oz Parmesan, grated - Fresh thyme

Instructions: Cook pasta al dente. Make béchamel: melt butter, add flour, cook 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk and cream until smooth. Simmer 5 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat, stir in cheeses, truffle paste, Dijon, and seasonings.

Fold pasta into sauce. Transfer to a buttered baking dish. Mix panko with melted butter, Parmesan, and thyme. Scatter over top. Bake at 375°F for 25 minutes until golden and bubbling.

Pro Tips: Truffle oil is a shortcut — for the best result, use a tablespoon of real black truffle paste (available at specialty food stores). A few fresh black truffle shavings on top after baking, if budget allows, is transformative.