Ingredients
The following ingredients have 8 Servings
- Two 12-ounce bottles Irish lager beer
- 1 pound dry rotini pasta
- 6 tablespoons butter
- divided
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- minced
- 1/4 cup flour
- 2 cups half-and-half
- 12 ounces white Irish cheddar
- grated
- 8 ounces medium cheddar
- grated
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 cups grape tomatoes
- halved
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
Instruction
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
- Spray a 3-quart baking dish with non-stick cooking spray
- Pour the 2 Irish Lagers into a large sauce pot and bring to a boil
- Reduce heat and simmer until the beer has reduced by half
- Remove from heat and set aside
- In a large pot, bring 4 quarts of water to a boil; add 1 tablespoon salt
- Pour in the pasta and stir, cook for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally
- Drain pasta in a colander and set aside
- Meanwhile, in a large sauce pot, melt 4 tablespoons of butter over medium heat
- Stir in onions and saut until onions are soft, about 4 minutes
- Add the garlic and continue to saut for 2 minutes more, stirring constantly
- Whisk in flour and cook 3 minutes, whisking constantly
- Add the reserved beer, half-and-half and bring just to a boil, whisking constantly
- Reduce heat and simmer, whisking often until sauce slightly thickens, about 2 minutes
- Reduce heat to low
- Add 12 oz White Irish Cheddar cheese and 8 oz Medium Cheddar and stir until melted and smooth
- Stir in the salt, pepper and cayenne
- Remove pan from heat and gently stir in the rotini and tomatoes
- Pour the pasta mixture into prepared baking dish
- Melt 2 tablespoons butter and toss with the panko until well coated
- Evenly distribute the panko mixture over the pasta
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and the topping golden brown
