This recipe combines macaroni and cheese with pimiento cheese, a popular combination across the American South. The recipe is linked to the accidental discovery of cream cheese and the manufacture of factory foods in the northern states. It was 1872 when cream cheese was inadvertently made by a man in New York trying to replicate the soft French cheese, Neufchâtel. Soon after, cream cheese spreads became popular and one style included pimientos—sweet red peppers imported from Spain around the same time. A pimiento cheese spread recipe was published by Good Housekeeping in 1908 and a pre-combined commercial product arrived in the 1910s.
Recipe Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 6 Tbsp butter, cut into cubes
- 6 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 6 oz heavy cream
- 1 lb elbow macaroni
- 16 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- ¼ cup onion, finely diced
- 7 oz jar of diced pimiento, drained
- 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp hot sauce
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 1½ cups pretzels, chopped
- 2 tsp olive oil
Directions
- In a saucepan, bring salted water to a boil.
- Add the macaroni and cook until tender, 9–12 minutes. Drain.
- Toss cooked pasta with olive oil. Set aside.
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
- Stir in flour and cook 1–2 minutes.
- Add the cream and bring to a simmer.
- Fold in the cheddar cheese, onion, lemon juice, pimientos, hot sauce, and black pepper.
- Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and toss to coat.
- Transfer to a serving dish and top with the chopped pretzels.
Recipe introduction and directions © Copyright 2016-2024 World Trade Press. All rights reserved.