macaroni and cheese... 40 minutes

the goods:

1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 pound elbow macaroni
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 large eggs
1 cup half-and-half
1 small garlic clove, minced
2 slices white sandwich bread

Set a large pot of salted water to boil. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 2 quart baking dish. Cook pasta 3 minutes short of al dente; drain.



In a large bowl, whisk together 2 cups cheddar, eggs, half-and-half, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Add pasta, and stir to combine. Pour into prepared dish.



In a food processor, pulse bread and melted butter until coarse crumbs form; season with salt and pepper. Top pasta mixture with remaining cheese, then sprinkle with breadcrumbs.



Bake until mac and cheese is golden and bubbling, 25 to 30 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.