1-Preheat the oven and prepare the baking dish: First, preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and grease a 3-quart baking dish that’s about 9×13 inches. This sets the stage for even cooking and a golden finish.

2-Cook the pasta: Next, boil salted water and cook 1 lb of dried elbow pasta for 1 minute less than the package says for al dente, then drain and toss with a bit of olive oil to keep it from sticking.

3-Shred and divide cheeses: Now, shred the cheeses and divide them into three piles: about 3 cups for the sauce, 1 1/2 cups for the inner layer, and 1 1/2 cups for topping.

4-Make the roux: In a saucepan, melt 1/2 cup unsalted butter over medium heat, then whisk in 1/2 cup all-purpose flour to form a roux and cook for about 1 minute.

5-Prepare the cheese sauce: Gradually whisk in 2 1/2 cups half and half and 1 1/2 cups whole milk until smooth, then cook over medium heat, whisking often, until it thickens to the consistency of thinned condensed soup. Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 tablespoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika, and 1 1/2 cups of the cheese mixture until it melts. Add another 1 1/2 cups cheese and stir until smooth.

6-Combine pasta and sauce, layer, and bake: Combine the cheese sauce with the pasta, then layer half the mixture in your prepared baking dish, sprinkle with the remaining 1 1/2 cups cheese for the inner layer, add the rest of the pasta, and top with the last 1 1/2 cups cheese. Finally, bake for 15 minutes until it’s bubbly and lightly golden. Let it cool a bit before serving to enjoy that creamy texture.