Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season generously with salt and cook the macaroni pasta according to package instructions. Save about ½-1 cup of pasta water for later use.
220 g Macaroni Pasta
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour to form a roux.
2 tbsp Butter or Margarine, 2-3 tbsp Plain Flour
Stir in chipotle paste and season with garlic powder and smoked paprika.
Whisk in the evaporated milk until the mixture is smooth. Then stir in the remaining milk and season with salt and black pepper.
1½ tsp Salt, 170 g Evaporated Milk, 2 cups Whole Milk, 1 tsp Black Pepper
Mix in the cheeses until melted and a smooth sauce is formed.
300 g Mozzarella + Cheddar
Stir in the reserved pasta water, ¼ cup at a time, to loosen the sauce up. Fold in the cooked macaroni and sliced jalapenos until combined.
100 g Jalapenos
Preheat oven to 200°C. Briefly season the panko breadcrumbs with a pinch of salt & pepper.
Panko Breadcrumb
Transfer the cooked mac & cheese into an ovenproof dish. Top with more cheese and sprinkle with the seasoned panko breadcrumbs.
Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes until the cheese has melted and is golden in colour. Serve warm.
Notes
Evaporated milk offers a creamier texture and richer flavour than regular milk whilst not being as overly rich as using cream.
It is important to reserve the pasta water for making the sauce as it helps to loosen the sauce up and prevents the mac & cheese from getting dry.
Feel free to switch up the ratios of the cheeses or try a different cheese combination. I’d recommend keeping the mature cheddar cheese and playing around with different cheese types and ratios to yield different flavours to your own liking.