Hands on: 15 minutes Total time: 1 hour Serves: 4

Chef-owner David Roberts, formerly of Sam & Dave’s in Marietta, is as famous for his macaroni and cheese as he is for his beef brisket. His new ’cue joint, Community Q in Decatur, offers his three-cheese rendition.

Ingredients:
Salt
1 (16-ounce) box rigatoni noodles
8 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
8 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
4 ounces grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
2 cups heavy cream
Freshly ground pepper (if desired), to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat and season with salt. Add pasta and cook until just tender, about 12 minutes or according to package instructions. Drain well in a colander without rinsing.

Transfer the pasta to a large bowl. Add half the cheddar, Monterey Jack and Parmesan, reserving the rest for the top. Add heavy cream and stir to combine. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. Transfer the noodle mixture to a medium buttered gratin dish or casserole. Sprinkle remaining cheddar, Monterey Jack and Parmesan cheeses on top. Bake until bubbly and golden brown, 30 to 45 minutes. Remove to a rack to cool slightly before serving.

Panera-Style Macaroni and Cheese

Notes:
Taste the cheddar to see how sharp it is. Adjust amount of American cheese accordingly. If your cheddar is milder, you may want more cheddar and less American. If it’s very sharp, use equal amounts of each as in this recipe.
Ingredients:

* 11 oz medium pasta shells
* 5 TB butter
* 4 TB flour
* 1 cup milk
* 1 cup heavy cream
* 4oz grated sharp Vermont white cheddar cheese (use more cheddar and less American if it’s mild cheddar)
* 4oz American cheese, crumbled
* pinch of salt
* pinch of white pepper

Equipment

* Pyrex or microwave safe cups
* Microwave
* Whisk
* Dish for serving

Directions:

1. Boil pasta shells until just cooked and tender. Drain.
2. In a microwave safe cup or bowl, microwave on high 5 TB butter with 4 TB flour for 2 minutes, stopping halfway to whisk. Whisk again when the roux is done after the second minute.
3. Mix 1 cup milk and 1 cup heavy cream together. Pour mixture into the roux very slowly, whisking all the time.
4. Microwave mixture 1 minute at a time, stirring between minutes until the sauce becomes thick and creamy. (should take between 4 and 6 minutes)
5. While sauce is hot, add grated cheddar and American cheese in small handfuls while stirring to melt all cheese into the sauce. If all of the cheese does not melt completely, you can heat the whole mixture up a little bit and keep stirring.
6. The sauce should be liquid-y (is that a word?) and creamy, and have a taste that is not too sharp. You want to taste the cheddar but not have it be overpowering.
7. Season sauce with a pinch of white pepper and a pinch of salt. Mix pasta shells and sauce together in serving dish.