Crabby Mac & Cheese

Crabby Mac & Cheese

3/4 lb. elbow macaroni
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups milk, heated
1/2 cup heavy cream, heated
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Ground nutmeg, to taste
2/3 lb. lump crab meat, picked over for shells
3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1/2 cup finely shredded fontina or Emmentaler cheese
1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons finely shredded white cheddar cheese
1/2 cup dried bread crumbs

Preheat an oven to 400 degrees. Butter a 2-quart baking dish.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni, stir well and cook until al dente, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water. Transfer to a bowl and toss with the olive oil. Set aside.
Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring, until fully incorporated, about 3 minutes; do not allow to brown. Slowly add the milk and cream, whisking constantly. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until smooth and thickened, about 5 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
Add the sauce to the macaroni and mix well. Fold in the crab meat, chives and 1/2 cup each of the fontina, Parmigiano-Reggiano and 1 cup of the cheddar cheeses. Transfer to the prepared baking dish. Top with the 3 tablespoons each Parmigiano-Reggiano and cheddar, sprinkling evenly over the surface. Then sprinkle with the bread crumbs. Finally, cut the remaining 2 tablespoons butter into bits and use to dot the top of the pasta. Bake until bubbly and golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes, then serve.

Footnotes - If you can't find Emmentaler, you can use Swiss cheese.