Calabrian Chili Mac n Cheese
Want a refresher on how to make this?
Makes for 6-8
INGREDIENTS
1 pound noodle of choice (I like Cavatappi or Fusili)
8 oz pepperjack cheese, grated
8 oz Colby jack cheese, grated
8 oz mozzarella cheese, grated
8 oz mild cheddar, grated
6 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup all purpose flour
4 cloves garlic, grated or minced finely
1 teaspoon each, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika and chili flake
1-2 tablespoons chopped Calabrian chili
3 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup seasoned Italian breadcrumb
1 tablespoon olive oil
INSTRUCTIONS
Prepare your Pasta
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta of your choosing and cook until soft. I prefer the pasta cooked a bit over al dente for macaroni and cheese, but you do you!
Drain the pasta when its done cooking and give it a quick rinse with warm water.
Make your Cheesy Béchamel
While the pasta cooks, add the butter to a large dutch oven over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes before adding in the seasonings, salt and pepper. Stir well and cook for one minute, sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for an additional minute or two. Stir int he chopped Calabrian chili.
Slowly whisk in the milk and heavy cream and reduce the heat to medium-low. Whisk frequently and let it cook and thicken up for 10-15 minutes.
The sauce should be thickened up to about the consistency of thick buttermilk. Be careful to stir frequently so as to avoid scorching the sauce—as it thickens it becomes prone to quickly burning.
Turn off the heat then stir in half the shredded cheeses and stir until they are completely melted in.
Assemble the Mac
Mix the pasta into the cheese sauce to coat every noodle well. Layer half the mixture into a large baking dish, followed by 1/2 of the remaining cheese. Top with the remaining Mac mixture, then evenly top with the rest of the cheese.
In a small bowl, rub the olive oil into the Italian breadcrumbs, then evenly sprinkle the, over the top of the final cheese mixture.
Pop the Mac into a 400* oven and bake for20-25 minutes, just until the top is brown and bubbly and the middle is hot!
Serve immediately!
Pro tip: add 1/4 cup of chopped pickled jalapeños for an additional spicy kick!