Mischief Mac and Cheese

Mischief Mac and Cheese

This is my halloween-themed mac and cheese, with an oozy, crispy cheddar shell and an inky black interior. It's the perfect halloween munchie for late-night parties and such.

Ingredients:

•       1 bag/box of black bean pasta
•       12 oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese
•        4 tablespoons unsalted butter
•        4 tablespoons chickpea flour
•        2 cups half and half
•        3/4 teaspoon salt
•        Black pepper
•        Turmeric (up to 1 tsp or to taste)
•        Saffron threads or 1 packet saffron powder (e.g. Goya seasoning with Azafran)
•       1 jar TJ’s pumpkin pasta sauce or vodka sauce (i.e. an orange pasta sauce)
•       Olive oil
•       Olive oil spray
•       1 package of freeze dried cheddar snacks (optional)
•        Black sesame seeds (optional)

Directions:

In a heavy, medium saucepan melt 4 tablespoons of the butter over low heat. Add the chickpea flour and stir to combine. Cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes. Increase the heat to medium and whisk in the half and half little by little. Cook until very thickened, about 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat, season with the salt, up to 1/2 tsp of turmeric, 1 packet of Goya seasoning with saffron powder (or add a packet of saffron threads), and 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika and 4 ounces (1/3 of the package) of the sharp cheddar mix. Stir until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth. The bechamel should be a pale orange. If not, add more smoked paprika until the sauce becomes orange in color. Cover and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add salt to taste and, while stirring, add the pasta. Return to a boil and cook according to package instructions.

Drain the pasta with a colander and place in a large bowl. Toss the pasta liberally with enough olive oil to coat the pasta. Also season generously with black pepper and sea salt. Finally, add 1/3 cup of the remaining shredded cheddar cheese and toss to combine. Let the pasta cool for 30 minutes to an hour until it is at room temperature.

Meanwhile, mix together in a medium sized bowl 1 cup of the bechamel and 1 1/4 cups of the pumpkin pasta sauce. Mix to combine. The sauce should now be quite orange, and should have a good balance of sweetness (from the pasta sauce) and savory richness (from the bechamel). If it tastes too seasoned, add more of the pasta sauce. If it tastes too sweet, add more of the bechamel, until well balanced.

Spray silicone muffin cups with olive oil spray. Pile in the black pasta until the cups are three-quarters full, and pack the pasta down in each cup. Top each cup almost to the top with a generous amount of the orange bechamel sauce, and finish each cup with a healthy layer of cheddar on top.

Optional: For a crunchy top, take a snack bag of freeze dried cheddar and without opening the bag, crush the contents in the bag with a hard object such as the bottom of a jar. This will create the crumb topping for the cakes. Then sprinkle the cheddar crumbs on top of each muffin and finish with black sesame seeds (if available).

Place the baking cups on a large baking dish on the middle rack and bake for 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted. 

Then change the oven to broil, move the baking dish to the top shelf and broil for 30 seconds to 5 minutes, watching closely until the cheese is bubbly and just browning in spots.

Allow the cakes to cool for 10 to 15 minutes and then unmold them and place on a fun halloween platter and serve: