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Prep time
15 minutes
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Cook time
25 minutes
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Serves
4 to 6
Author Notes
This recipe is inspired by the macaroni and cheese with peas many of us all ate as kids, and the “Adult Kids Pasta” that used to be on the menu at the restaurant Hancock Street in Manhattan. They made their extra-saucy version with extra-large macaroni, or chiocciole, which is what I used here.
Rather than mixing whole peas in with the pasta, I pureed them with whole milk and used this to create a silky green, thick cheese sauce. Although the cheesy pasta is delicious on its own, I up the ante by sprinkling butter-toasted breadcrumbs with capers and lemon zest on top.
Tips & Tricks
• This recipe makes a lot of sauce, so if you’re feeding a crowd, you can increase the pasta amount to 1 ½ boxes instead of one. That said, if you like your mac and cheese as cheesy and saucy as I do, stick to one box.
• Make sure not to overheat the cheese sauce—it can start to separate and won’t be as smooth.
—Nea Arentzen
Watch This Recipe
Grown-Up Mac & Cheese with Peas
Ingredients
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1
(17-ounce) box chiocciole
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3 cups
whole milk
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1
(10-ounce) bag frozen peas, thawed
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1 tablespoon
capers
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6 tablespoons
unsalted butter, divided
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1/2 cup
plain breadcrumbs
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1
lemon, zested
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4 tablespoons
all-purpose flour
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3 cups
(12 ounces) shredded cheddar
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2 cups
shredded Parmesan cheese
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1/4 cup
white wine
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1 1/2 teaspoons
kosher salt
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Lots of pepper, to taste
Directions
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Bring a very large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook the pasta per the directions on the box, until nearly al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water then drain and return the pasta to the pot.
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Meanwhile, make the breadcrumb topping; melt 2 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan, then add the capers and fry until slightly golden and crispy. Add the breadcrumbs, stirring, until the breadcrumbs are golden brown. Stir in the lemon zest. Transfer it to a bowl and set aside for serving.
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In a blender, combine the milk and the peas and puree until super smooth.
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In a large saucepan, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of the butter over medium-low heat, then sprinkle in the flour and stir until it’s thick and no clumps remain. Pour in the wine and whisk quickly to combine (it’ll thicken quite a bit here). Add ⅓ of the milk mixture and whisk again until no clumps remain, then slowly add the remaining mixture, whisking until you have a smooth béchamel sauce. Reduce the heat to low and keep stirring until the sauce is thickened.
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Before you sprinkle in the cheese, make sure the sauce isn't too hot. (If the sauce is too hot, you risk curdling the cheese and the sauce.) While stirring, add cheese a little at a time, whisking constantly to incorporate until all the cheese has been added and you have a nice, thick cheesy sauce. Add the salt and pepper.
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According to how saucy you prefer your macaroni and cheese, pour the cheese sauce into the pot of pasta. Season to taste with more salt and pepper as needed.
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Serve the pasta with the toasted caper breadcrumbs on top.
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