Ultimate Mac 'N' Cheese - cooking recipe

Ingredients
    8 8 ounces penne or 8 ounces other tube shaped pasta
    1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
    fresh ground black pepper, to taste
    3 1/2 tablespoons butter or 3 1/2 tablespoons margarine
    1/2 cup finely chopped shallot
    2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
    1 1/4 cups dry white wine
    2/3 cup heavy whipping cream
    7 ounces gruyere, grated
    3 ounces aged gouda cheese, grated
    2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
    1 teaspoon minced fresh chives
    1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
    1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper or 1/8 teaspoon red crushed red pepper flakes
    tabsaco hot sauce (optional)
    1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
    4 ounces crusty sourdough bread, torn into large pieces (about 1/4 loaf)
Preparation
    Preheat oven to 400\u00b0.
    Cook pasta according to package directions in a large pot of boiling, well-salted water until tender to the bite, 7 to 12 minutes.
    Drain, but do not rinse.
    In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter.
    Add shallots and cook until light golden, about 3 minutes.
    Sprinkle shallot-butter mixture with flour; cook, stirring often, 1 minute.
    Add wine; stir, picking up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
    Add cream and stir well.
    Sprinkle in cheeses, one large handful at a time, stirring until each handful is almost melted before adding the next.
    Stir in 2 tablespoons chives, mustard, 1/4 teaspoons salt, cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes, and nutmeg.
    Stir cooked pasta into cheese mixture, then pour all into a 2-qt. baking dish.
    In a food processor, pulse bread with remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons butter, 1 teaspoons chives, and 1/4 teaspoons salt until coarse bread crumbs form.
    Sprinkle bread crumbs over pasta and cheese and bake until top is browned and cheese is bubbling, 15 to 20 minutes.
    Enjoy!

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