1-Preheat and Prep the Pasta: First, preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C) and grease a 3-quart baking dish, about 9×13 inches, to prevent sticking. Boil salted water and cook 1 lb of dried elbow pasta for 1 minute less than the package says, aiming for al dente texture. Once done, drain the pasta and toss it with a bit of olive oil to keep it from clumping.

2-Create the Cheese Sauce: Next, shred all your cheeses and divide them: about 3 cups for the sauce, 1 1/2 cups for the middle layer, and 1 1/2 cups for the topping. In a saucepan, melt 1/2 cup of unsalted butter over medium heat, then whisk in 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour. Cook this mixture for about 1 minute, whisking frequently until it looks like wet sand.

3-Thicken the Sauce: Gradually whisk in about 2 cups of half and half until smooth, then add the remaining 1/2 cup of half and half along with 1 1/2 cups of whole milk. Keep whisking over medium heat until the sauce thickens to a consistency like slightly 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 mixed cheeses. Add another 1 1/2 cups of cheese and stir until everything melts into a smooth sauce.

4-Assemble and Bake: Mix the cheese sauce thoroughly with the cooked pasta. Pour half of this mixture into your prepared baking dish, sprinkle with 1 1/2 cups of cheese for that middle layer, then add the rest of the pasta mixture. Top it off with the remaining 1 1/2 cups of cheese and bake for 15 minutes until it’s bubbly and lightly golden. For dietary tweaks, remember tips from earlier sections to swap ingredients as needed.