We tasted this in Seattle at the Pike Place Market in the Beecher's store. It is the best! I had to get their recipe and I found it on the internet; It is a very rich creamy comfort food. I do not have Beecher's cheese so I improvised with what is available and it came out as tasty as the original. Serve this with a crisp salad. Enjoy!
Meanwhile, begin the sauce by making a roux: in a medium saucepan melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour. Continue to stir this roux over medium heat for two to three minutes.
03The roux should be cooked and free of the flour flavor but still light in color.
04Gradually add milk, whisking briskly to maintain a smooth sauce.
05Cook the sauce for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to avoid scorching.
06When sauce thickens, add cheeses, salt and spices to the sauce, and stir until all the cheese has melted. I make my sauces in the microwave; turns out great and never scorches.
07Somewhere during this sauce-cooking process, your pasta water has started boiling. The original is made with Penne noodles. Add a generous amount of salt to the water and cook the pasta until almost but not quite al dente (two minutes before the package directions indicate). You want barely undercooked pasta so that it can finish in the oven later. Halt the cooking by draining the pasta and rinsing with cold water. Return pasta to pot.
08Pour sauce over pasta and stir until completely incorporated. The combination should be fairly saucy, almost soupy.
09Dish the mixture into a buttered 9-13 pan and sprinkle with extra grated cheeses and cayenne. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes, until you have beautiful, browned edges. Those edges will be a welcome and flavorful addition to each serving.
10Let the dish sit for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. I divided this in 2 containers and froze one.