Pimento Mac and Cheese

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Pimento cheese can be put on almost anything. Whether it is in a sandwich or just used as a dip, it’s delicious and great on any occasion. In this particular case, I decided to make pimento mac and cheese. And I wasn’t disappointed. It was so addicting that it took a lot of self restraint to keep from finishing the whole dish in 2 days. And it’s just me and my fiancé living together. No one else was there to blame for how quickly it disappeared.

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword cheese, mac and cheese, pimento

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Servings

Calories 384kcal

Author Matthew Earl

Equipment

Ingredients

12 oz cavatappi pasta or whatever you prefer
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 lb sharp cheddar diced
1 clove garlic minced
1 cup pimento cheese
salt to taste

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Instructions

First, preheat your oven to 400°f and make sure the is a baking rack placed in the middle of the oven.
Then place a medium sized pot on the stove filled halfway with water and 2 Tablespoons of salt, and turn on to high heat. Once the water is boiling, add your pasta. Cook the pasta till it is still slightly undercooked. Also known as al dente. This is done because it is going to be cooked for longer in the oven later. Strain your pasta and leave to the side in the sink.
Now clean that pot out and place it back on the stove at a low to medium heat setting. Add your heavy cream and minced garlic. Leave it on the heat for 5 minutes. Add your cubed cheddar cheese and using a rubber or silicone spatula, stir until the cheese has disappeared into the sauce you have made. Turn off the heat on the stove.
Next you add the pasta back to the pot and stir gently. Add the pimento cheese now and stir more until the pasta is fully coated. Pour the pasta into your desired baking dish. A deep 9” by 5” glass baking dish will do the trick.
This next part is more out of preference. Some people prefer a crunchy topping of breadcrumbs on their baked mac and cheese but I like more cheese. So shred a bit more cheese over the top.
Place the baking dish into the oven and let it cook for 20 minutes. If the cheese on the top has not browned yet then continue baking for another 5 minutes.
Once finished, remove the dish from the oven and set aside to cool for 10 minutes. Now enjoy it while it’s still warm.

Nutrition