Macaroni and cheese is the ultimate comfort food. This recipe combines a rich cheese sauce, packed with sharp cheddar and Manchego cheeses, with crisp and spicy slices of chorizo sausage. Instead of the baked casserole version of mac and cheese, this one simply calls for combining the sauce with the pasta before serving.
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb (or any cut pasta of your choice)
- 1/2 tbsp oil
- 1/2 lb cured chorizo sausage, sliced
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp flour
- 11/2 cup milk
- 11/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 3/4 cup Manchego cheese, shredded
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp granulated garlic
- salt
- pepper
Directions
- Cook the pasta in salted, boiling water until desired doneness.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a medium-sized pan over medium-high heat. Add the chorizo slices to the pan and cook them until they are crispy but still juicy, about 4 minutes — move the chorizo to a bowl double-lined with paper towels.
- In another medium-sized pan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. When the butter is just melted, stir in the flour to make a roux. Add the milk to the pan, making sure to smooth out any clumps of the roux, and heat until the milk is just scalding (any more and you run the risk of having the milk curdle). Add in 1/3 of the shredded cheese at a time, making sure that it is fully incorporated into the sauce before adding any more. The sauce should be smooth and rich, but feel free to add more milk if it looks too thick. Toss in the spices and chorizo and combine with the cooked and drained pasta. Serve immediately.
Image Credit: Molly Aronica
