Karsten Moran for The New York Times• Clockwise from top, shell pasta, cavatappi, elbow macaroni and penne cooked and coated in creamy sauces. By definition, classic macaroni and cheese should be made with, well, macaroni, a style broadly defined as any short, cylindrical extruded pasta. This includes tubes like ziti, penne, rigatoni and, yes, elbows, as well as corkscrew shapes like fusilli. All this is to say that plenty of shapes are suitable for macaroni and cheese (many of which come gluten-free).

But you will want to make sure you stay within the world of tiny, tube-like shapes, or those undeniably cute little shells. (Like cutting a grilled cheese into triangles instead of rectangles, they may actually improve the taste of the finished product, if only in our heads.) Avoid long, thin shapes like spaghetti or linguine.

Elbow enthusiasts should also note that there’s a new kid in town: Cavatappi, a curly, ribbed noodle that’s longer than an elbow, may very well be the platonic ideal for baked macaroni and cheese. Its length and curl perch perfectly on a fork, its ribbing is optimal for gripping luscious sauce, and its thickness (slightly thicker than elbows) decreases any risk of mushiness. Whatever shape or style you choose, it’s important to remember two things: Always cook the noodles in water that’s as salty as the sea to season them from the inside out, and make sure they’re cooked more al dente than you might think they need to be. The pasta will continue to cook in the cheesy sauce, which not only gains thickness from the noodles’ starch, but also deepens the flavor of the noodles themselves. Karsten Moran for The New York Times• The beauty of a good bread-crumb topping is that it can be used as a vehicle for more flavor if you mix in ingredients like Parmesan, garlic, bacon or herbs before baking. It’s hard to beat a coarse bread crumb from a day-old loaf, but panko does an excellent job as a stand-in. To top a baked macaroni and cheese, mix about 1 cup bread crumbs with 4 tablespoons melted butter or olive oil.

Cook for about 1 minute, until smooth and bubbly; stirring occasionally. Mix in milk, cream cheese, salt, pepper, and Dijon mustard. Continue cooking until sauce is.

Season with salt and pepper and add any mix-ins (1/4 cup grated Parmesan; 2 grated garlic cloves; 4 strips crisp, crumbled bacon; 2 tablespoons chopped parsley or thyme) before scattering it all over the dish in a thin, even layer. The greenbow vpn for mac. A thick layer will have a hard time evenly crisping, resulting in sogginess. If bread crumbs aren’t your thing, grating more cheese (about 1 cup) over the top for an ultra deep, golden brown top is a most excellent move. For a stovetop macaroni and cheese, mix about 1 cup bread crumbs with 4 tablespoons melted butter or olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Toast in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until golden brown and crisp, about 3 minutes. Add any mix-ins (1/4 cup grated Parmesan; 2 grated garlic cloves; 4 strips crisp, crumbled bacon; 2 tablespoons chopped parsley or thyme) before scattering over your prepared macaroni and cheese. Ingredients • 1 pound elbows, shells, cavatappi, farfalle, fusilli or other short, tube-shaped pasta • Kosher salt • 2 cups whole milk • 8 ounces cream cheese, cut into 1-inch pieces • 12 ounces sharp or white Cheddar, grated • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter • Freshly ground pepper Preparation • Cook pasta in a large pot of salted water until just barely al dente; drain. If i format an external hard drive for windows, can it be used on mac.