Baked kale and mushroom mac and cheese

Ingredients:

• 450 g of pasta horns
• 1 large bunch kale, stems trimmed, leaves coarsely chopped (about 8 cups)
• 340 g shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps cut into 0.5 cm wide slices.
• 1/4 tbsp. olive oil + 3 tbsp. l.
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2.5 cups of low-fat cream 10%
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or less
• 450 g of cream cheese at room temperature
• 220 g sharp cheddar, grated (about 3 cups)
• 80 g Gruyere, grated (about 1 cup)
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs

Preparation:

1. Position the rack approximately 15 cm from the oven heating element and preheat the oven to 220°C.
2. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 6 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 3/4 cups of the cooking water. Set the pasta aside.
3. Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 3 tablespoons olive oil and the shiitake mushrooms and cook, stirring constantly, until the mushrooms are browned and tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and add the kale, garlic, and 1/2 cup water. Stir with a wooden spoon, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and toss. Cook until the kale is wilted but still crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to a bowl and set aside.
4. Wipe the pan thoroughly (or give it a quick rinse if it's very dirty). Add the cream and cayenne pepper and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook until the cream has reduced to 1.5 cups, about 15 minutes. Add the cream cheese and stir until completely melted. Stir in the cheddar and Gruyere until all the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth.
5. Add the pasta and cooking water and stir to distribute evenly. The sauce will look very thin, but the pasta will absorb a lot of the liquid as it bakes. Gently fold in the reserved vegetables. Season with salt and pepper to taste, if needed.
6. Transfer everything to a 22x32 cm baking dish. In a medium bowl, mix together panko breadcrumbs Toss with the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil and a generous pinch of salt and black pepper and sprinkle evenly over the macaroni and cheese. Bake until the cheese is bubbly and the topping is golden and crisp, about 10 minutes.