Croque Monsieur Mac and Cheese

Combining Mary's top two cheesiest dishes, let's create Croque Monsieur Mac ‘N Cheese, with stringy Gruyère and sharp pecorino.

📝 Ingredients

• Nonstick cooking spray or unsalted butter, at room temperature, for casserole dish
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 250 g dry rigatoni
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 560 ml milk
• 3/4 tsp herbes de Provence
• Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 55 g grated pecorino
• 285 g grated Gruyére
• 200 g thinly sliced deli ham, roughly chopped
• 1 large egg
• 2 slices bread, roughly torn into small pieces
• Special Equipment:
• 9-inch square casserole dish

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Heat your oven to 425 degrees F and lightly grease a 9-inch square casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray or butter.Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil then add the pasta and cook according to the package directions until al dente. Drain the pasta and set aside until ready to use.Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic, season with salt and pepper, and cook for about 30 seconds. Sprinkle over the flour, whisk in and cook, whisking occasionally, for 1 to 2 minutes to toast the flour. While continuing to whisk, slowly pour in 2 cups of the milk. Add the herbes de Provence and nutmeg and bring to a light boil. Cook, whisking frequently, until thick, 4 to 5 minutes.When the sauce has thickened, turn the heat down to low and whisk in the mustard and pecorino, then 2 cups of the Gruyère. Switch to a heatproof spatula or a wooden spoon and carefully stir in the cooked pasta making sure that every noodle is well coated. Pour half of the mixture into your prepared casserole dish, scatter on half of the ham, then layer on the remaining pasta and ham and set aside.To make the topping, whisk the egg and the remaining 2 tablespoons of milk in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the bread and the remaining 1/2 cup of Gruyère.Top the casserole with the bread mixture and bake until golden brown and bubbly, 20 to 25 minutes. Allow the mac and cheese to rest for a few minutes before serving. Serve and enjoy!