Ingredients:

  • 1 lb short pasta such as Cavatappi, Fusilli, or Rigatoni
  • 2 tbsp sea salt for boiling water
  • 4 oz full-fat cream cheese, cubed
  • 1.5 cups extra sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated
  • 0.5 cup low-moisture mozzarella cheese, shredded
  • 0.5 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated
  • 0.5 cup whole milk
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder
  • 0.25 tsp smoked paprika
  • freshly cracked black pepper to taste

Instructions:

  1. Bring 4 quarts of water to a rolling boil and add sea salt. Cook pasta for 2 minutes less than the package directions until slightly firm. Reserve 1 cup of starchy pasta water, then drain the noodles.
  2. In the same hot pot, turn the heat to low and add 2 tbsp butter and 4 oz (115g) cubed cream cheese.
  3. Whisk in 0.5 cup whole milk, the garlic powder, and smoked paprika. Stir until the cream cheese has completely vanished into a smooth liquid. This is your stabilizer base.
  4. Add the cooked pasta back into the pot. Slowly fold in the 1.5 cups cheddar, 0.5 cup mozzarella, and 0.5 cup Parmigiano Reggiano. Add the reserved pasta water 1/4 cup at a time until the cheese is melted and clinging to the noodles.
  5. Turn off the heat entirely. The residual heat will finish the job. Grind fresh black pepper over the top and stir one last time until the sauce looks glossy and thick.