Harissa Mac and Cheese

Like most families, mine loves macaroni and cheese, and I love to give traditional dishes an update, so this makes everyone happy. Harissa helps lighten the richness of a cheesy béchamel sauce and adds a welcome kick as well as some dimension to a dish that can be rather one-note. You can use any cheese or a mixture of cheeses here, from the traditional Cheddar or Gruyère to a Middle Eastern kasseri—just make sure they are sharp and rich. Radiatore pasta is my preferred shape for mac and ch