1-First, preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and grease a 3-quart baking dish that’s about 9×13 inches. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the pasta, and cook it for 1 minute less than the package instructions for al dente. Drain the pasta and drizzle it with a little olive oil to keep it from sticking together.

2-Next, shred the cheeses and mix them, then divide into three portions: about 3 cups for the sauce, 1 1/2 cups for the inner layer, and 1 1/2 cups for the topping. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat, sprinkle in the flour, and whisk to combine, cooking for about one minute to make a roux.

3-Slowly whisk in about 2 cups of half and half until smooth, then add the remaining half and half plus the whole milk while whisking continuously until fully combined. Cook the mixture over medium heat, whisking often, until it thickens to a consistency similar to condensed soup. Remove from heat and stir in the salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and 1 1/2 cups of the cheese mixture until melted, then add another 1 1/2 cups and stir until fully melted.

4-Combine the cheese sauce with the cooked pasta in a large bowl, pour half into the prepared baking dish, sprinkle with 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheese, then top with the remaining pasta mixture and the last 1 1/2 cups of cheese. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling and lightly browned. For more pasta tips, visit this guide on how to cook pasta perfectly to ensure your base is just right.