Macaroni Souffle

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup dried short cut macaroni
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons dried breadcrumbs
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/3 cup white flour
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 3/4 cup cheddar cheese, grated (or Gruyere cheese)
• 2/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 3 eggs, separated
• salt
• pepper

Directions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 300*F. Bring a pan of lightly salted water to a boil and cook the macaroni until al dente, about 8 minutes.

2. 2

   Melt the butter in a pan. Use a little of it to coat the inside of a 5 cup souffle dish. Coat evenly with the breadcrumbs, shaking out any excess.

3. 3

   Heat the remaining butter in the pan and stir in the paprika and flour. Cook for 1 minute, stirring. Gradually add the milk, stirring until the sauce boils and thickens. Add the grated cheeses, stirring until melted, then season well.

4. 4

   Remove the pan from the heat, let the sauce cool slightly, then beat in the egg yolks. Whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks and spoon 1/4 into the sauce mixture, beating it gently to loosen it up.

5. 5

   Using a large metal spoon, carefully fold in the rest of the egg whites. Gently fold in the macaroni. Transfer the mixture to the prepared souffle dish. Bake in the center of the oven for about 40-45 minutes, until the souffle has risen and is golden brown. Make sure you serve this as soon as it is cooked or it will sink dramatically. The middle should wobble very slightly. Enjoy!