"From scratch? What do you mean from scratch?"  These were the words my darling 6 yr. old touted when I explained that, no we weren't making Mac 'n Cheese from the box.  Tonight, a weeknight, I was making pasta and cheese from scratch.  I say pasta and cheese because I rarely have macaroni and generally use whatever I can find in the pantry.  Tonight was orzo mixed with penne.  I heard multiple grumblings of, "it's not going to be the same." as he grated the cheeses.  My reply? "River, I certainly hope not!"  And afterward, he and the others agreed it was not the same, but better.  This is a relatively simple dish, homey and comforting.  Make your own twist, you can pretty much use any cheeses you wish.  Surprise your family tonight without using the stuff in the box :).

Three Cheese Pasta

Ingredients

Kosher salt
1 lb pasta of your choosing
1 qt milk
1 stick of unsalted butter
1/2 C all-purpose flour
6 oz Gruyere, grated (2 Cups)
8 oz White Cheddar, grated (2 Cups)
6 oz Chevre (goat cheese) broken up into chunks
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
5 small fresh tomatoes (thick sliced)
1 1/2 cups bread crumbs

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. 
Boil the water, add the pasta and cook according to the directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well.
Now you'll make a basic bechamel sauce.  Heat the milk in a small saucepan, taking care not to boil it. Melt 6 tablespoons of butter in a large pot and add the flour bit by bit whisking as you go-don't burn this roux. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, again keep whisking. Continue whisking and add the hot milk in two batches cook for a minute or two more, until the sauce is  thickened and smooth. -No lumps!
Take the pan off the heat, and add the cheeses, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked pasta and stir to combine. Pour everything into a 3-quart baking dish.
Place the tomatoes on top of the pasta.  Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, and mix with the fresh bread crumbs, and sprinkle on the top. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the bread crumbs are browned on the top.

Serves 8


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