Miso Mac And Cheese

Directions

1. 1
   Preheat oven to 375° F.
2. 2
   Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to boil. Add your pasta and cook until a minute or two shy of al dente (do not cook it all the way to al dente!). Drain (don't rinse) and set aside.
3. 3
   In a large pan, heat the butter until it melts. Add the flour and cook, whisking constantly to break up any clumps, for a minute or two.
4. 4
   Whisk in the warm milk and bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
5. 5
   Remove from the heat and stir in 2 cups of the cheese, salt, pepper, and miso paste. (N.B.: Start with just two tablespoons of the miso paste, and taste. Add more as you like but it's important to taste and decide what you like!)
6. 6
   Add the cooked pasta to the cheese sauce and stir to coat.
7. 7
   Pour the pasta into a greased baking dish (big enough to hold your pasta-a 9- by 13-inch dish works, or a 2-quart or 3-quart dish) and sprinkle the top with the remaining 1/4 cup cheese and the panko.
8. 8
   Bake the pasta for about 25 minutes. The pasta should be bubbling and the breadcrumbs should be browned.
9. 9
   Remove from the oven, let cool slightly, and serve.