An old friend of Dizzy Pig, Jason Strawhorn, is well known for cooking an amazing version of one of the most popular comfort foods ever – Macaroni and Cheese. Well, it’s actually Penne and Cheese, and it’s not your average take on this dish. He has made a lot of people happy with this recipe over the years.
We took Jason’s recipe and kicked it up a tad with our Spicy Dizzy Dust. This dish is rich and creamy, and a well-browned crust adds a whole new dimension to this gourmet recipe. We did the baking on our Big Green Egg, which adds a wonderful hint of smoke, but this recipe can easily be cooked in an oven.
Enjoy the ultimate in cheesy deliciousness. And don’t think about the calories!
INGREDIENTS
- 1 lb pasta (I use penne, but any shape pasta can be used)
- 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
- 5 tsp Dizzy Pig Spicy Dizzy Dust, or Original Dizzy Dust all-purpose seasoning
- 4 oz good beer
- 20 oz half-and-half
- 8 oz Brie cheese, cubed
- 1 lb cream cheese, cubed
- 1/2 cup butter, 2 sticks
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 cups Cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 cup Parmesan, grated
- 1 1/2 cups Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
INSTRUCTIONS
- Cook pasta until just shy of al dente, drain and set aside.
- Mix Panko, Parmesan cheese and 1 Tbsp Spicy Dizzy Dust for the topping.
- Mix beer with half-and-half.
- Melt butter in a large stock pot over medium-high heat.
- Whisk in flour until fully incorporated.
- Slowly add the beer/half-and-half mixture while whisking.
- Add 2 tsp of Spicy Dizzy Dust.
- Keep whisking for a few minutes, until the mixture begins to thicken.
- Reduce heat to medium.
- Slowly add cubed brie and cream cheese. Use wooden spoon from this point on (no whisk).
- Once that cheese is melted, slowly add the rest of the cheese – Cheddar, Parmesan, and crumbled Gorgonzola cheese. Keep stirring.
- When all the cheeses are melted, add the pasta and stir to coat evenly.
- Transfer everything into a 13″ cast iron skillet, smooth it all out with the back of the spoon, and sprinkle with the Panko/Parmesan/Spicy Dizzy Dust topping mix.
- Bake at 350°F for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until bubbly and browned to your liking. We like it with lots of little crunchy bits.
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Ingredients for Jason’s Famous 6-Cheese Mac ‘n’ Cheese
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Cook pasta until just shy of al dente, drain and set aside
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Mix Panko, Parmesan cheese and 1 Tbsp Spicy Dizzy Dust for the topping
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Mix beer with half-and-half
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Melt butter in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Whisk in flour until fully incorporated.
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Slowly add the beer/half-and-half mixture while whisking
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Season roux by adding 2 tsp of Spicy Dizzy Dust
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Keep whisking for a few minutes, until the mixture begins to thicken
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Reduce heat to medium. Slowly add cubed brie and cream cheese. Use wooden spoon from this point on (no whisk)
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Stir until brie and cream cheese is melted
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Slowly add the rest of the cheese – Cheddar, Parmesan, and crumbled Gorgonzola cheese. Keep stirring until all the cheeses are melted
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Fold in pasta, and transfer everything into a large cast iron skillet. Smooth it all out with the back of the spoon
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Sprinkle with the Panko/Parmesan/Spicy Dizzy Dust topping mix
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Place in oven or cooker. We did the baking on our Big Green Egg for a hint of smoke
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Bake at 350°F for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until bubbly and browned to your liking
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We like it with lots of little crunchy bits
