A Hearty Recipe For Mac & Cheese With Sausage

RECIPE MAC AND CHEESE WITH SAUSAGE IN LE CREUSET COOKWARE

Here’s a hearty recipe for Mac & Cheese with Sausage and Peppers, perfect for preparing in your Le Creuset cookware:

Ingredients:

• 1 pound medium pasta shells
• ¼ cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• ¼ cup butter
• 8 ounces bulk hot Italian sausage
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped oregano, divided
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 quart half-and-half
• 8 ounces fontina cheese, shredded
• 12 ounces white cheddar cheese, shredded, divided
• ¾ cup sliced piquillo peppers
• ¾ cup sliced Peppadew peppers
• ½ cup chopped parsley
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• Hot sauce, for serving

Instructions:

1. Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 425°F (220°C).
2. Cook the Pasta: In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the pasta shells until al dente. Drain and toss with a drizzle of olive oil to prevent sticking.
3. Prepare the Sauce:
4. • In your Le Creuset Dutch oven, melt the butter with the olive oil over medium-high heat.
   • Add the sausage, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, and cook until it starts to render, about 3-4 minutes.
   • Stir in the chopped onion, minced garlic, and 1 tablespoon of oregano. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until the onion is softened and the sausage is cooked through, approximately 8 minutes.
   • Sprinkle the flour evenly over the sausage mixture. Stir and cook for about 2 minutes until a film forms on the bottom of the pot.
   • Gradually pour in the half-and-half, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Cook until the mixture is bubbling and the floury taste is gone, about 5-7 minutes.
   • Lower the heat and gradually add the shredded fontina and 11 ounces of the shredded cheddar, stirring until melted and smooth. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
4. Combine Ingredients:
5. • Fold the cooked pasta, sliced piquillo and Peppadew peppers, and chopped parsley into the cheese sauce until well combined.
5. Assemble and Bake:
6. • Transfer the mixture into 12 (8-ounce) Mini Round Cocottes or a single 12-cup baking dish placed on a large baking sheet.
   • In a small bowl, mix the panko breadcrumbs with the remaining 1 ounce of shredded cheddar and 1 tablespoon of oregano. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the top of the mac and cheese. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil.
   • Bake until the top is golden and the sauce is bubbling, about 15-20 minutes.
6. Serve: Allow the dish to stand for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy with a dash of hot sauce if desired.

This recipe is adapted from Le Creuset’s Mac & Cheese with Sausage and Peppers.