JALAPEÑO AND GRUYÈRE PASTA

Yields 4 to 6 portions

This pasta is our version of a spicy, grown-up mac and cheese! Jalapeños can have different levels of heat but cooking them will mellow the flavor a bit. If you prefer more spice, add additional raw sliced jalapeños to garnish before eating.

3 jalapeño chilies

8 garlic cloves

1 (16-ounce) box orecchiete

2 tablespoons olive oil

½ cup white wine

4 tablespoons (½ stick) butter

2 cups shredded Gruyère cheese

¼ cup kosher salt

Slice the jalapeños across into thin rounds and finely mince the garlic. Set aside the garlic and jalapeños. Bring 5 quarts water—salted to taste like the ocean!—to a boil. Add the pasta and cook for 9 minutes (the instructions on most packages say 13 minutes, although the pasta will absorb more liquid later, so stick to 9 minutes to avoid overcooking). Before straining the pasta, reserve ½ cup of the pasta water.

In the same pot used for cooking the pasta, combine the olive oil, garlic, and jalapeños. Cook over medium-low heat until the garlic begins to toast and the jalapeños soften. Add the white wine and butter. Once the butter has melted, return the pasta to the pot and stir. Add the shredded Gruyère cheese and reserved pasta water, a little at a time, until all the cheese has melted and the pasta appears creamy. Note: You may not use all of the reserved pasta water. Serve immediately with thinly sliced, fresh jalapeños on top if desired.