Baked macaroni in cheese sauce under a crust

Ingredients:

• 450 g of cone-shaped pasta
• 3 jalapeño peppers (2 peppers finely chopped and 1 pepper thinly sliced)
• 1/2 cup finely chopped pickled jalapeño pepper and 1/3 cup marinade
• 1/8 - 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 450 g mascarpone cream cheese at room temperature
• 225 g (about 3 cups) coarsely grated sharp cheddar cheese
• 85 gr. (about 1 cup) coarsely grated Gruyere cheese
• 2.5 cups low-fat cream (10-12%)
• 8 tablespoons butter
• 1 tbsp. panko breadcrumbs
• Salt

Preparation:

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Transfer half of the melted butter to a separate medium bowl. Add the sliced ​​jalapeño pepper to the skillet, stir, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl.
   
   Position the rack 15 cm from the heat source and preheat the oven to 220°C.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 6 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 3/4 cups of cooking liquid.
   
   Wipe out the skillet and pour in the cream. Heat over medium heat until simmering. Simmer gently until the cream has reduced to 1.5 cups, about 15 minutes. Add the cream cheese and stir until melted. Add the Cheddar and Gruyere and stir until the cheeses are melted and the sauce is smooth.
   
   Add the pasta and reserved cooking liquid. Stir. (The mixture will look very runny, but the pasta will absorb a lot of the sauce as it bakes.) Gently stir in the roasted jalapeños, pickled peppers, and marinade. Season with salt and cayenne pepper if desired.
3. Place in a 33x23 cm baking dish. In a bowl, combine the breadcrumbs with the remaining melted butter and season with salt. Sprinkle the mixture over the macaroni and cheese. Evenly distribute the sliced ​​jalapeño over the breadcrumbs.
   
   Bake until the cheese is bubbly and the breadcrumbs are lightly browned and crisp, about 10 minutes.