Rating: 💋 💋 💋 😘
We are in that early stretch of summer where cold, rainy days have yet to cede the floor. When damp gloom shutters me inside, I find that nothing fixes my day better than a bowl of this hot, cheesy pasta. This recipe comes from my mom's arsenal and it is a rare but much-loved treat.
Pimento Macaroni and Cheese
Prep: 45 minutes Total: 1 hour 25 minutes Serves: 6
Ingredients:
- 1 jar roasted red peppers or 1 large red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
* If roasting yourself, EVOO
- 2 garlic cloves, halved, divided
- 1/2 cup Panko
- 3 tbsps unsalted butter at room temp, divided
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- 3/4 cup drained mild Peppadew peppers in brine, 1 tbsp brine reserved
- 1/4 tsp ground ancho chiles
- 1 1/4 cup packed coarsely grated extra sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 cup packed coarsely grated whole milk mozzarella
- 8 oz gemelli pasta (or similar shell-shaped pasta)
Preparation:
- If roasting peppers homemade*, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Brush a baking sheet with olive oil and lay pepper on its side, so the stem is pointing towards one edge of the sheet. Place in oven and roast for 20 minutes. Slide baking sheet out of the oven and spin peppers onto their other side, using tongs. Place back in the oven and roast the second side for 20 more minutes. Once peppers are fully roasted, remove sheet from oven. The skin should be soft and slightly charred.
- Meanwhile, toast Panko in a medium-skillet, stirring often, for 5-6 minutes until the breadcrumbs are nice and golden. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool to room temperature. Add a tablespoon of butter and toss to coat, then mix in 1/4 cup of the Parmesan.
- Add roasted pepper, garlic, Peppadews and 1 tbsp brine, 2 tbsps butter, ground chiles, cheddar and 1/4 cup Parmesan into a food processor. Mix until it blends into a smooth, silky cheese sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Preheat oven to 400 (if not already there from pepper-roasting) and butter an 8-cup baking dish.
- Cook pasta in salted water until al dente; drain and pour back into pot. Stir cheese-pepper sauce and mozzarella into the pasta and pour the mix into the greased baking dish. Sprinkle with Panko topping.
- Bake pasta for about 25 minutes, until the topping has crusted over into a golden crisp and the cheese sauce is bubbling. Let rest for 15 minutes and serve.
* I do recommend going homemade if you can, and I promise it is very easy! Store bought works well too though. I have had it both ways and either tastes excellent.
You read that right. A three cheese sauce with golden delicious breadcrumbs and plenty of spice. I love the heat!
It is so simple but so divine! The breadcrumbs add a mouthwatering crunch to the spicy pasta. Then, the heavenly cheese adds a nice silky bed for the Panko to soak into in full luxury. The sauce itself packs major punch while not cloaking the whole dish. It is creamy and filling while somehow not being heavy-handed, and I love that about it. This dish is also vegetarian, so if you are okay with cheese but avoid meat, it is here to bring joy to your dining table.
I am also loving the vibe of this meal because life has been busy. I will have more details on that for you soon, but one-dish dinners are the key to my stomach and schedule's hearts right now. Life does not seem to just be picking up, it seems to have hijacked a ferrari and torn right down the freeway. I am just happy to be along for the ride.
Guess what??! After her four-year absence, Lorde has returned to the the public! (In a shy way because no one has actually seen her.) Anyone who knows me knows that I adore Lorde. I got out of work on Monday to texts from Rebecca and Maura announcing Lorde's return with numerous exclamation points. The fact that they reached for the phone to tell me when they heard means a lot. I feel seen. She is my favorite. In college, I basically wrote a thirty page thesis on how her music has spoken for my generation. For what it is worth, the paper was well-received. If you'd like to read an excerpt, click here. Anyway, she's back! She quickly retreated from the spotlight after the Melodrama tour ended and we have greatly missed her. Then, this Monday, she announced that her third album is coming out and I am elated. From everything I have heard, it is going to be a record with really great vibes and yes, I have subscribed for updates from the Lorde store. Life has been a bit overwhelming lately, and it feels like Lorde is coming to the rescue, ready to hit us with this summer's soundtrack and put a little joy into our lives. Her past two albums have perfectly aligned with my life to a chilling degree, so I cannot wait to see what this one has in store.
Okay, done gushing about her now.
My film premieres this Saturday night, so if you are interested in seeing it head to www.thehumanartscollective.com for the details!
Thank you so much for reading and for always being so supportive. It means so much to me. I hope you are all having some peaceful days, getting to see loved ones safely and catching some sun!
XX,
MK
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