This is the ultimate comfort food, truly nurturing and delicious. To give it an edge of extra richness, I suggest a top-quality imported Gruyère cheese. You could buy a standard supermarket-quality Cheddar or Monterey Jack but, trust me, there is a difference. With Gruyère, the result is superior in both flavor and consistency.

Ingredients

• 1 pound ziti (or other small tube-shaped pasta)
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt, plus more for the pasta water
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups grated Gruyère cheese (from about 1/2 pound)
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (from about 2 ounces)
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
• Butter for greasing pan

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.

2. Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until halfway done, about 6 minutes; do not overcook. Drain well and transfer to a large mixing bowl.

3. Meanwhile, place the milk, cream, and garlic in the same pot over medium heat and bring to a boil. Add to the cooked pasta in the mixing bowl. Add 1 cup of the grated Gruyère plus the 1/2 cup of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano to the bowl and mix well. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Butter an ovenproof glass dish approximately 8x3x12x3x13 inches, transfer the pasta mixture to the dish, and sprinkle the remaining Gruyère evenly on top. Bake for 30 minutes (see note) or until crispy and golden on top.

Note: The macaroni and cheese can be baked for just 10 minutes and then set aside and finished later for 20 minutes.