MAC 'N' CHEESE JALAPEñO POPPERS

Mac 'n' Cheese Jalapeño Poppers image

Yield serves 4 to 6

Number Of Ingredients 11

16 jalapeño peppers
Salt
1/2 pound ditalini pasta
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 cup whole milk
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
Black pepper
1 1/4 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese, divided
1/4 cup bread crumbs or crushed saltine crackers

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Working lengthwise, slice off the top quarter of each jalapeño. Using a small spoon or paring knife, scrape the seeds and ribs out of each jalapeño. Finely chop the tops.
Place a large pot of water over high heat to boil. When the water reaches a bubble, salt it well and drop in the pasta. Cook to al dente. Drain well.
While the pasta is cooking, place a medium pot over medium heat with the butter. Add the chopped pepper tops to the butter and cook to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the peppers and cook for 1 minute more. Whisk the chicken stock and milk into the mixture and bring up to a bubble. Stir in the mustard, season the sauce with salt and black pepper, and simmer until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in 1 cup of the cheese until melted. Add the pasta to the cheese sauce and stir to combine.
Mound up spoonfuls of the mac 'n' cheese in the peppers and place the peppers in a baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining cheese and the bread crumbs over the filling, and bake until the tops are golden brown and the peppers are tender, about 15 minutes.