Jalapeño Popper Mac and Cheese

Ingredients

• 1 large jalapeño
• 3/4 pound pasta (we used cavatappi)
• 5 strips bacon, roughly diced
• 3 Tablespoons flour
• 2 1/4 cups milk
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup cream cheese (2 ounces)
• 2 cups shredded white cheddar cheese (8 ounces)
• 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
• Pinch of salt

Instructions

1. 1

   --- Prep the jalapeño ---

2. 2

   Cut about ½ of the jalapeño into thin slices (you’ll use these to top the mac and cheese before baking). Set aside.

3. 3

   Dice the remaining jalapeño (you’ll use this in the sauce).

4. 4

   --- Boil the pasta water and cook the bacon: ---

5. 5

   Heat oven to 400° Fahrenheit.

6. 6

   Set a large pot of water on the stove to boil.

7. 7

   Set another large pot on the stove over medium heat. Add diced bacon and cook, stirring frequently, until bacon is crispy.

8. 8

   Use a slotted spoon to remove bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Leave the bacon fat in the pot: This will be the fat that we use to build our roux! You want about 3 Tablespoons of bacon fat left in the pot; if you have quite a bit more than this, feel free to spoon a bit out.

9. 9

   --- Build the sauce: ---

10. 10

    Add diced jalapeño to the pot with your bacon fat. The bacon fat will be quite hot: keep an eye on the jalapeño and stir frequently to ensure it doesn’t burn (you can reduce the heat or turn it off entirely for a minute if you need to). Cook until jalapeño is fragrant and has softened slightly, about one minute.

11. 11

    Add flour to pot and stir to form a paste. (This is our roux, which will help the sauce thicken. Don’t worry if it looks a bit thin or foamy compared to a traditional flour-and-butter roux!)

12. 12

    Add milk to roux a little at a time, stirring constantly to break up any lumps. Stir in a pinch of salt and some fresh cracked black pepper.

13. 13

    Bring sauce to a low simmer and cook, stirring frequently, for 6-10 minutes until it’s thickened to your desired consistency.

14. 14

    Cook the pasta while the sauce thickens: At this point, your pasta water should be boiling. Add plenty of salt, then stir pasta into the boiling water and cook until it’s a few minutes less than al dente. Drain and set aside or use a spider strainer to lift pasta directly into the sauce in Step 7 (below).

15. 15

    When the sauce has thickened, stir in cream cheese until it’s mostly melted. Don’t worry if there are still a few large pieces - it will even out later!

16. 16

    Turn off the heat. Add shredded white cheddar cheese and stir until sauce is smooth and creamy. Then stir in cooked pasta and half of the crispy bacon (reserve remaining bacon for topping the pasta before baking).

17. 17

    Melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add breadcrumbs and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring frequently, for 3-4 minutes until bread crumbs are crispy and lightly browned.

18. 18

    Transfer pasta to an oven-safe baking dish (see recipe notes). Top with toasted breadcrumbs, remaining bacon, and remaining jalapeño slices.

19. 19

    Bake at 400° F for 15-20 minutes, until bread crumbs have browned up a bit more and pasta has just started to crisp up around the edges. Serve immediately.