Macaroni and Cheese

1. Position the oven rack about 8 inches from the top and heat the oven to 400°F.

2. Make the macaroni and cheese: Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then salt it. Add the pasta and cook until it’s a few minutes short of al dente (it will continue to cook in the oven). Drain into a colander and pass under cold running water to stop the cooking. Shake out any excess water.

3. Meanwhile, to make the cheese sauce, in a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, for about 3 minutes to cook out the raw flavor of the flour. Add 1 cup of the milk and whisk until it forms a smooth paste. Continue to whisk in the remaining milk a little at a time, at first, to avoid lumps. Let the mixture reach a simmer while whisking often, paying attention to the corners where the flour can collect.

4. Remove from the heat and add the cheese, nutritional yeast, dry mustard, the ¼ teaspoon salt, the black pepper, and the cayenne pepper. Whisk until creamy and smooth. Add the pasta and stir well to coat. Taste for salt; you may want to add a little more. Scrape the mixture into a 9×13-inch baking dish.

5. Make the bread crumb topping: In a small bowl stir together the bread crumbs, oil, salt, and pepper. Grate in the garlic and stir to combine.

6. Sprinkle the bread crumbs over the macaroni and cheese. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling. Then turn on the broiler and broil for 1 to 3 minutes, until the bread crumbs are golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving and sprinkle the top with the parsley.