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Roasted Red Pepper Mac 'n Cheese

Source of Recipe

From "Our Sweet Basil Kitchen" by Cade and Carrian Cheney


Recipe Introduction

"This is just about the creamiest, cheesiest pasta ever, and it has a secret: roasted red peppers! Cade says macaroni and cheese is a recipe every Southern family has mastered, but this recipe puts a fresh spin on it. You won't know the puréed peppers are in there until that extra layer of flavor hits your taste buds."

List of Ingredients

â—¦  1 pound small shell pasta
â—¦  3 roasted red bell peppers
â—¦  ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
â—¦  1 clove garlic, minced
â—¦  ½ cup all-purpose flour
â—¦  1 cup milk
â—¦  1 cup heavy cream
â—¦  1 cup finely shredded medium cheddar cheese
â—¦  1 cup finely shredded mild cheddar cheese
â—¦  Pinch ground nutmeg
â—¦  1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt
â—¦  ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper


Recipe

Prepare pasta according to package directions in boiling, salted water. Drain, reserving about ¼ cup of the liquid, and set aside.

Place roasted red peppers in a blender jar and purée until smooth; set aside. (To roast your own bell peppers, simply heat a gas burner on your stovetop and use long-handled tongs to hold a pepper over the flame, turning as needed, until skin is wilted and blackened. Alternatively, you can steam the peppers in a plastic bag and remove the skin after a few minutes.)

Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat until butter begins to foam. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, 20 to 30 seconds. Quickly whisk in the flour, cooking about 30 seconds.

Whisk in the puréed roasted red pepper until well combined. Continue to whisk while gradually adding milk and cream. Whisk until smooth and then add cheeses, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Whisk until all of the cheese is incorporated; shredding the cheese using the smallest holes on a box grater will produce a creamier sauce.

Spoon the pasta into the mixture, adding a tablespoon or two of the reserved pasta water if needed to thin the sauce.
Serve immediately.

Serves 4 to 6