This recipe isn’t for everyone because you have to wing it depending on the heat and taste of your hatch Chile peppers. The Smith’s Grocery store near me has a really good Murray’s Cheese Counter and I almost always pick up the WOO HOO sales at the cheese counter for fun. As a result my hobby at Smith’s my refrigerator is usually packed with TONS of cheese that I hardly pay for. I know most people would never use this much cheese in a recipe but it came out really delicious. I also have many dried peppers I use to boost the taste since the hatch chilies I bought here are extra light on flavor and extra EXTRA light with heat. You will not be in the same situation.

I do make my macaroni and cheese different from most people no matter what flavor profile I’m doing. I do make a cheese sauce but I usually make it with a little corn starch (I HATE the taste of flour when I eat macaroni and cheese and cornstarch works better), nonfat dry milk, no butter, and LOTS of cheese.

Today I did something a little different. I was afraid I’d over cook the pasta. So I started the pasta out in a bowl of hot salted water for a few minutes. I noticed the pasta was softer and I drained it. Then I baked it with layers of cheese sauce and some added cheese.

When this all baked it did have some oil on the top and I added some crushed white tortilla chips and a masa, onion, crumb mixture that I added to the top.

Then I finished it with some chopped Mexican green onion, cilantro, and some pickled red onion.

According to my husband this came out to be a Masterpiece. It did come out FORKING delicious too!

Ingredients for around 12 servings

1/2 a pound box of pasta (either a point or twisty type) 8-9 ounces

1/4 cup cornstarch – cheese sauce

1 pack (3.2 ounce) dry non-fat milk – cheese sauce

3 cups water – cheese sauce

14 oz mature cheddar cheese – shredded – cheese sauce

8 oz goat cheese – crumbled – cheese sauce

5 oz brie cheese chopped (I cut off rind and only use center) – cheese sauce

8 oz roasted hatch chilies (most of core , stem and seeds removed) chopped (8 oz. or to taste) – cheese sauce

1 Tablespoon dried hatch flakes (or to taste) – cheese sauce

1 teaspoon jalapeño flakes (or to taste) – cheese sauce

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper – cheese sauce

1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper – cheese sauce

15 oz mature cheddar cheese – either shredded or chopped (This is used to layer between pasta and sauce)

4 oz butter – melted – I used salted but you can use either – crumbs

1/2 cup harina de maiz – crumbs

1/4 cup flour – crumbs

1/2 cup chopped onion (I used Mexican onion) – crumbs

1/2 cup hard shredded Italian cheese (I used grana padano) – crumbs

1/2 teaspoon chipotle pepper flakes – crumbs

1 teaspoon smoked paprika – crumbs

non stick spray

2 oz crushed white tortilla chips – for finishing

2 Tablespoons – scallions – for finishing

2 Tablespoons – cilantro , chopped – for finishing

Optional (but better if you make some) 2 Tablespoons pickled red onions – for finishing (EZ – 1 onion sliced thin, 1/2 C. water, 1/2C. white vinegar, 1 Tablespoon sugar, 1/4 teaspoon g. black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon g. coriander)

Directions

Microwave or put on a pot of water with salt to boil. The pasta only needs around three minutes and then drain the pasta and put to the side.

Make cheese sauce. In a pot mix together the corn starch and milk powder. Then whisk in the water. This needs to be on medium heat until thickened. Keep stirring the bottom because it can burn.After it is thick add the cheddar, goat, brie cheese, and hatch Chile peppers. You will need to lower the heat to low. Add the hatch flakes, jalapeno flakes, black and white pepper.. Take off the heat.

This gets layered like lasagna.

Preheat oven to 350.

Use a big pan or 1/2 pan and spray with non stick spray.

Start with about three serving spoons of cheese sauce.

Next add about 1/3rd of pasta.

next add about 1/3rd of the cheddar cheese.

2 -3 serving spoons of cheese sauce.

1/3 of the noodles.

about 1/2 the cheddar.

1/2 the cheese sauce that is left. then top that with remaining pasta.

Add more cheese.

use the rest of the sauce.

Cover with foil that was sprayed with non stick spray. This goes on the middle rack of a preheated 350F degree oven till it’s cooked threw. Oven DO FORKING DIFFER. In my old GE oven this would take around an hour. In my Whirlpool oven this took 1 hour and 20 minutes.

While it’s baking make the crumb topping.

In a small bowl combine the butter, harina de mai, flour, onion, italian cheese, chipotle pepper flakes, and smoked paprika. This goes on a baking sheet sprayed with non stick spray. This goes on your upper rack till done. In my oven this took 30 minutes but oven do differ. I’d look at it in 20 minutes and then decide if it needs more time.

After 30 minutes mine looked like this.

By now your baked pasta dish will be ready.

You need to assemble it.

It will have some oil on the top that separated from the cheese.

The crushed tortilla flakes are perfect for that add them first.

Then add the crumb topping.

Next add the cilantro and scallions.

Finish with pickled onions.

ENJOY!!!!!!