The Best Macaroni and Cheese - bread crumbs

Method

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Place a 1 1/2-quart heat-proof dish, such as a souffle pan, in oven to warm.
• In a small baking pan, combine bread crumbs, a pinch of salt and the melted butter.
• Mix well and set aside.
• In a large pot, bring 8 cups of water to a boil.
• Add 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt and the macaroni.
• Cook until almost tender but still a little firm to the bite.
• Drain and transfer to preheated dish.
• Stir in remaining 4 tablespoons of butter.
• In a small bowl, combine eggs, 1 cup of the evaporated milk, the pepper sauce, 1/2 teaspoon salt, the black pepper and the mustard mixture.
• Mix well.
• Pour egg mixture over macaroni.
• Add 3/4 of the cheese, and stir until thoroughly combined and cheese starts to melt.
• Place dish of macaroni and cheese in the oven, and bake for 5 minutes.
• Remove dish from oven and add about half of the remaining evaporated milk, and half of the remaining cheese.
• Stir well, and return pan to oven.
• Bake 5 minutes longer, remove pan from oven, and stir thoroughly.
• If mixture does not look moist and creamy, add a little more of the milk and cheese.
• Return to oven for an additional 20 minutes, removing pan from oven halfway through to stir in remaining evaporated milk and cheese.
• While macaroni is baking, add pan of bread crumbs to oven.
• Bake until bread crumbs are toasted and golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Remove from oven and set aside.
• When macaroni has baked, sprinkle surface with toasted bread crumbs, and serve immediately.