Pimiento Mac and Cheese

By bakers_delight85

From Aida Mollenkamp's Keys to the Kitchen

Ingredients

• Topping:
• 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, plus more for the baking dish
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1/3 cup finely chopped Italian parsley
• 1 1/4 tsp. paprika
• 1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• Mac and Cheese:
• 1 pound mini shell or elbow macaroni pasta
• 1/2 red onion, minced
• 3/4 tsp. Kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
• 2 cups half-and-half
• One 7-oz jar pimientos, diced
• 12 ounces shredded aged Cheddar cheese
• 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

Preparation

Step 1

Heat the broiler and arrange a rack in the upper third of the oven. Coat a 2-qt. baking dish with butter and set aside.

For the Topping:
Melt 2 Tbsp. of the butter in a small pan over low heat. Transfer to a small bowl and add the panko, parsley, 1/2 tsp. of the paprika, and 3/4 cup of the Parmesan and toss to combine. Set aside.

For the Mac and Cheese:
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook 2 minutes short of the package directions. Reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water and drain the pasta
Return the pot to the stove over low heat and add the remaining butter. When the foaming subsides, add the onion, season with salt, and cook until golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in the half-and-half, pimientos, and remaining paprika.
When the mixture just begins to simmer, add the Cheddar and whisk until smooth. Add in the remaining Parmesan and the mustard and whisk until melted. Add the pasta and 3/4 tsp. salt and stir to coat. Taste and season with additional salt as needed. (At this point, recipe can be served for stovetop Mac and Cheese.)
To assemble, pour the pasta mixture into the buttered baking dish and top with the panko mixture. Put under the broiler until the mixture bubbles and the top is browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the broiler and let cool for 5 minutes before serving.