I was never a big fan of the American icon, Mac and cheese. For what I considered as a dish which lacks texture and is heavy, I never truly admired Mac and cheese. That was the case until a Pimiento Mac and cheese happened in a local joint in Orlando. Ordered by a friend, the dish showcased textural, color, and flavor balances. Presented here is an attempt to reconstruct the aforementioned Floridian dish. The dish does not involve an assortment of numerous fancy cheeses, it humbly contains cheddar and Parmesan. I developed this dish in NYC's 2016 blizzard, as had nothing else to do and needed heavy winter food to sustain.
Ingredients:
1 Pound (~450 gr or 1 pack of) pasta (the type of which is up to your choice; Macaroni, however, seems a good choice for obvious reasons)
2 TBSP butter
2 TBSP all-purpose flour
1 TBSP red wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar )
2 fire roasted bell red peppers, finely processed
6 dried mild dried chilies (I used Kashmiri)
2 cups skimmed milk
2 cups heavy cream
8.81 Oz (~250 gr) sharp cheddar cheese
3.52 Oz (~100 gr) parmesan
Pinch of nutmeg
Bread layer:
1 medium Italian sandwich roll
1 small bunch of parsley
Oil as needed
Make a blonde roux by browning the flour in butter. Stir constantly, on medium-low heat, for five minutes. Do not invest too much time on a proper roux, the purpose is just to thicken the sauce.
Add the roasted pepper puree, dried chilies, and vinegar, toast in the roux for two minutes or until the mixture is dry. Add the cream, milk, and a pinch of nutmeg.
Turn off the heat. Add the noodles and the cheeses. Mix well.
To make the topping, process the parsley with a touch of oil. Add the bread and process. The final mixture should look like green coarse sand.
Top the pasta mixture with the bread topping. Bake, covered, in a preheated 400 F (~205 C) for 15 minutes. Uncover and cook for another 15 minutes, or until pasta noodles are Al dente and the topping is golden brown.
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