Spicy Macaroni and Cheese Kugel with Three Peppers

Adventures in Jewish Cooking, p. 172

12 ounces medium egg noodles

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium red onion, chopped

1 medium red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped

1 medium green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

¼ cup all-purpose flour

4 cups milk, heated

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese

½ teaspoon pure ground ancho chile powder or regular chili powder

½ teaspoon sweet or hot Hungarian paprika

¼ teaspoon ground hot red (cayenne) pepper, or more to taste

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

TOPPING

½ cup crushed corn flakes

½ cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs) or more corn flakes

1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

The chef who wrote this forgot to mention when to add the veggies to the kugel. I added them when I added the noodles and it worked great.

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350F. Lightly butter a 13 x 9-inch baking dish.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the noodles and cook just until barely cooked (they will cook further in the oven), about 6 minutes. Drain well.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, red and green bell peppers, and jalapeno. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 6 minutes.

Melt the butter in the empty noodle pot over medium heat. Whisk in the flour, reduce the heat to low, and let the mixture bubble without browning for 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the milk and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the sauce loses any raw flour taste, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the Cheddar, Monterey Jack, and mozzarella, and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the chile powder, paprika, and cayenne, and season with the salt and pepper and additional cayenne, if you wish. 

I do recommend adding the extra cayenne.

Stir in the noodles. [And the vegetables.] Spread evenly in the baking dish.

Now that's an interesting kugel!

To make the topping, mix the corn flakes, panko, and Parmesan cheese in a small bowl. Stir in the melted butter. Distribute evenly over the top of the noodles.

Bake until the topping is crispy and the kugel is bubbling around the edges, about 30 minutes. Let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes. 

That topping is legit.

Cut into squares and serve.

My Rating: 4/5 "This is damn tasty. The blend of cheeses and the blend of spices make it unique, savory, and comforting. The topping adds nice crunch and makes everything attractive. It's not as spicy as the name of the recipe implies, but it's still memorable and fun."