Hatch Chile Mac and Cheese

Prep time: 20 min

Cook time: 25 min

Serve count: 8

1 lb elbow macaroni or cavatappi

4 Tbsp butter

¼ cup all-purpose flour

3 cups whole milk, warmed

1 tsp salt

1 tsp dry mustard

¼ tsp cayenne (optional)

3 cups shredded Hatch cheddar cheese, divided

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack

1¼ cups roasted Hatch chilis, stemmed, seeded and chopped, patted dry

1 cup panko breadcrumbs

2 Tbsp butter, melted

Heat oven to 375°F. Butter a 9x13 baking dish.
Boil the pasta in well-salted water two minutes short of the package time. Drain and set aside.
Melt the 4 Tbsp butter in a large pot over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook 1 to 2 minutes, until it smells like toast but hasn't browned.
Add the warm milk in three additions, whisking smooth after each. Simmer 4–5 minutes, stirring, until it thickly coats the back of a spoon.
Take the pot off the heat. Stir in the salt, dry mustard and cayenne, then add 2½ cups of the cheddar and all the Jack a handful at a time, stirring until melted.
Fold in the chilis, then the pasta. Taste and add salt as needed.
Spread into the dish. Top with the remaining ½ cup cheddar. Toss the panko with the melted butter and scatter it over the top.
Bake 20–25 minutes, until bubbling at the edges and golden on top. Rest 10 minutes — it will thicken as it sits.

Notes

Warm the milk — cold milk into a hot roux is how you get lumps.
Turn off the heat — cheese added to a boiling sauce breaks up and goes grainy.
Make it a meal — fold in shredded rotisserie chicken or crumbled chorizo before baking.
Shop the season: use the Roasted Hatch Chilis (mild or hot) and Hatch Cheddar Cheese.