Spicy Firecracker Macaroni & Cheese Recipe

RECIPE: Firecracker Macaroni & Cheese

June 26, 2014 at 8:43 am · Filed under July 4th/Independence Day, Pasta-Pizza, Recipes

[1] It’s not red, white and blue, but it has extra heat for a “firecracker” punch (both photos © Dietz & Watson).

[2] You can find cheddar cheese already blended with hot chile peppers, like this Jalapeno Cayenne Cheddar from Dietz & Watson.

Heat things up on July 4th with this special mac and cheese from Dietz & Watson, which used its peppadew and Cheddar with Jalapeño & Habañero products.

RECIPE: FIRECRACKER MACARONI & CHEESE

Ingredients For 4 to 6 Servings

2 pounds 100% semolina ziti

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1-1/2 cups milk

Salt

Freshly ground white or black pepper*

1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon dried thyme

3/4 pound peppadew*, grated or finely chopped

1/4 pound Cheddar with Jalapeño & Habañero, grated or finely chopped

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Hungarian paprika, for garnish

Preparation

1. PREHEAT the oven to 375°F, and butter a 2-quart ovenproof casserole dish.

2. BRING a large saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil and toss in the ziti. Boil until just slightly firm (al dente), drain in a colander (do not rinse) and set aside momentarily.

3. MELT the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat, stir in the flour to form a smooth paste (roux), and cook for about 1 minute. Pour in the milk, whisking constantly, and bring to a boil.

4. REMOVE from the heat, season with salt and white pepper, and add the nutmeg and thyme. Stir in the cheeses a bit at a time until incorporated and smooth.

5. ADD the ziti to the cheese sauce, stirring gently to coat, and pour into the prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle the top evenly with Parmesan cheese and bake for 10 minutes.

6. REMOVE the casserole from the oven and place under the broiler until bubbly and golden brown. Watch carefully to prevent the top from burning. Sprinkle with paprika, and serve hot.

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*You can substitute pimiento (roasted red peppers) for the peppadew, but the latter is tangier. You can use black pepper instead of white pepper; the difference is that black flecks will show in the recipe. White pepper was created (by removing the spicy black skin of peppercorns) for aesthetic reasons, that are no longer so important in current times. Black pepper delivers more heat.

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