Philly Mac and Cheese
The Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich. What can I possibly say about this glorious treat? It’s a Sandwich…filled with cheese and steak…from Philadelphia. The name is pretty self explanatory so you probably already knew that. But did you know that there is a constant debate raging on about who invented Philadelphia’s signature sandwich and who currently makes it the best?
So what does this have to do with you?
Nothing. Unless you live close to Philly, knowing that has impacted your life in no way, shape or form. Google has informed me that I live 854 miles away from Philly so I guess at this point…knowing about the debate has wasted both of our time. I am sure it is a scrumptious sandwich but I don’t think it warrants a plane ticket. Maybe I’m wrong but I don’t have the funds to find out for myself.
What I do have is this Philly Mac and Cheese; a creamy cheese packed pasta mixed with savory slices of steak, crisp peppers and onions that have been topped with chive toasted panko crumbs.
Why not just a sandwich? Because a Philly Cheesesteak is all about the “cheese” and “steak”. So when eating a Cheesesteak, the goal is to consume as much of both as possible. The way I see it, if you are eating this sandwich then it’s clear that you made a firm decision to not care about your immediate health. With that said, a sandwich can only fit so much filling but with a mac and cheese…
…you have no limit. You are the boss! The head honcho! The…dare I say…BIG CHEESE!
Cheesy jokes aside, this is a recipe worth trying if you are planning to indulge. If you care to try out another cheesy pasta dish then give my Elote Pasta (Mexican Street Corn Fettuccine) a try. Well, until next time guys…BYE!!
- 1 lb Rib Eye Steak Cut into thin slices
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 lb Cellentani Pasta Sub with your choice of pasta
- 1 large Onion Diced
- 1 large Green Bell Pepper Diced
- 5 tbsp Unsalted Butter
- 2 tbsp All-Purpose Flour
- 2 cup Whole Milk
- 1/2 lb Cream Cheese
- 1/2 lb Provolone Cheese
- 2 tsp Dijon Mustard
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Onion Powder
- 1/4 tsp Nutmeg Freshly Grated
- 1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper Optional
- Kosher Salt
- Grounded Black Pepper
- 1 tbsp Unsalted Butter
- 1/2 cup Panko
- 1/8 tsp Garlic Powder
- Kosher Salt
- Grounded Black Pepper
- In a pan set over medium heat, melt the unsalted butter. Add in the panko and garlic powder and stir until the crumbs are golden brown (3-5 minutes). Stir in the chives and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
- Cook the pasta to Al Dente (the time will vary depending on your pasta of choice).
- Sear the steak slices in a pan set over high heat (1 minute, just long enough to get some color). Season with salt and pepper (to taste) and place the steak slices in a bowl (or anything else you can find).
- In a large pot, melt the unsalted butter over medium heat.
- Add in the diced Onion and Bell Pepper. Cook until onions are translucent (1-2 minutes).
- Add in the AP flour, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper and grounded nutmeg and continuously stir until the flour takes on a nutty flavor (3-4 minutes).
- Slowly pour in the milk while stirring.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer and add in the Dijon mustard, Cream Cheese and Provolone.
- Stir until the cheese has melted.
- Mix in the pasta.
- Mix in the steak and check for seasoning.
- Top Mac and Cheese with Panko and serve!
This recipe does not involve extra cooking time in the oven so please cook your pasta to Al Dente.