How to Make Creamy Pizza Macaroni and Cheese?

Ingredients

Salt

1 pound elbow macaroni

2 1/2 cups half-and-half

3/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 pound cream cheese, room temperature

8 ounces sharp Cheddar, shredded (about 3 cups)

3 ounces Gruyere, shredded (about 1 cup)

1/2 cup prepared marinara sauce

1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil, roughly chopped, and 1/4 cup sun-dried tomato oil

Method

> Set an oven rack 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

> Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook until it is al dente, about 6 minutes. Strain, reserving 1 3/4 cups of the pasta water. Set aside.

> Heat the half-and-half, oregano and crushed red pepper in a large saucepan over medium heat until the mixture just comes to a simmer. Continue simmering until the half-and-half is reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 15 minutes. Add the cream cheese and stir until melted. Whisk in the Cheddar and Gruyere until all the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth.

> Add the macaroni and reserved pasta water to the saucepan and stir to combine. (The mixture will look very loose, but the pasta will suck up a lot of the sauce as it bakes.) Gently stir in the marinara sauce, sun-dried tomatoes and pepperoni and season with more salt if needed. Pour into a 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Toss the bread crumbs, Parmesan and sun-dried tomato oil together in a small bowl and sprinkle evenly over the macaroni and cheese. Bake until the cheese is bubbly and the bread crumbs are lightly browned and crispy, about 10 minutes.