Is there anything better in this world than the ultimate of ultimate comfort foods??? We are talking mac and cheese here! It’s ooey, gooey, creamy, lay on the couch in your sweat pants delicious, with alllllll the carbs and cheesy goodness! And this Roasted Poblano and Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese will fill your soul with cheesy happiness!
How to Make This Recipe
INGREDIENTS
- 4 cups dry cavatelli, macaroni or pasta shape of choice (or 1 recipe Multipurpose Pasta Dough shaped into cavatelli)
- 4 poblano peppers
- 6 tablespoon unsalted butter
- ¼ cup flour – all purpose
- 2¼ cups heavy cream
- 2 tsps mustard powder
- ¼ cup mascarpone
- ⅓ cup smoked gouda
- ⅓ cup aged white cheddar
- ⅓ cup sharp cheddar
- 1 teaspoon cajun seasoning
- ½ teaspoon cayenne
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup panko bread crumps
INSTRUCTIONS
ROASTED POBLANONS
- Cut poblanos into 1 inch wide strips, discarding seeds and stem.
- Place strips skin side up on a baking sheet.
- Broil on high for 6-10 minutes or until the skins are mostly black. Check every 2 minutes to make sure the skins don’t get too dark. Remove from oven and let cool for 2 minutes, then place the strips in a ziplock bag for 5 minutes.
- Once cool, remove skins and finely chop. Set aside.
COOK PASTA
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 2 tablespoon salt to boiling water then reduce heat slightly so that the water is barely boiling. Add pasta to pot and cook for 75% of the total time stated on the package (the pasta will cook through in the oven). Remove to a strainer. If your pasta begins to stick together, drizzle with a teaspoon of olive oil. Set aside.
CHEESE SAUCE
- Preheat your oven to 350°
- In a large pot, begin by making a bechamel sauce as follows: Melt butter over medium heat, then slowly add the flour while whisking constantly. Cook until smooth and mixture begins to smell nutty and slightly colors. Turn down heat as needed to prevent the mixture from gaining too much color. The goal is to make a blonde roux here.
- Reduce heat to low and slowly add the cream and continue to whisk constantly until all cream has been added and the mixture is smooth. Then whisk in mustard powder.
- Cook for approximately 5 minutes or until the bechamel has thickened to a paste-like consistency. If your bechamel becomes too thick, you can add a little water to thin it out, but it should be fairly thick yet still creamy. You can always add water later in the process after the cheese is added. Keep beschamel warm on low heat.
- Add mascarpone and the 3 grated cheeses. Stir until melted completely and combined. Turn heat up to medium to assist in melting the cheese if needed. If you notice that the mixture is not creamy at this point, add a small amount of water to thin it out. You should have a very creamy, thick sauce at this point.
- Add all remaining seasonings and roasted chopped poblanos. Taste and add additional seasonings or salt to taste if needed.
- Add cooked pasta to cheese sauce, and stir to combine. Transfer to a large baking dish (we use a 7’x11′ rectangular dish or a 9’x9′ square dish), then sprinkle the top with bread crumbs.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the sauce just begins to bubble on the sides. Be careful not to bake for too long or the sauce could separate.
- Finally, move the dish to the top rack of the oven and broil on high for 1 minute or until the bread crumbs look golden brown and nicely toasted.
- Once done, remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.
NOTES
If using Homemade Pasta made fresh for this recipe, no need to pre-cook pasta. Simply add pasta to cheese sauce, combine and place in the oven. Fresh pasta will cook during the 20 minutes baking time
NUTRITION
Calories: 413kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 50mg | Sodium: 310mg | Potassium: 267mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 966IU | Vitamin C: 48mg | Calcium: 171mg | Iron: 1mg
