Mac and Cheese with Bacon
 
 
Author:
Recipe type: Dinner
Serves: 12 servings
Ingredients
  • 8-10 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
  • 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for casserole
  • 6 slices white bread, crusts removed, torn into ¼- to l/2-inch pieces
  • 5½ cups milk
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons coarse salt, plus more for water
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 4½ cups (about 18 ounces) grated sharp white cheddar cheese
  • 2 cups (about 8 ounces) grated Gruyère or 1¼ cups (about 5 ounces) grated Pecorino Romano cheese
  • 1 pound elbow macaroni
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
  2. Butter a 3-quart casserole dish; set aside.
  3. Place the bread in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter.
  4. Pour the melted butter into the bowl with the bread, and toss. Set the breadcrumbs aside.
  5. Warm the milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
  6. Melt the remaining 6 tablespoons butter in a high-sided skillet over medium heat.
  7. When the butter bubbles, add the flour. Cook, stirring, 1 minute.
  8. While whisking, slowly pour in the hot milk a little at a time to keep mixture smooth.
  9. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and becomes thick, 8 to 12 minutes.
  10. Remove the pan from the heat.
  11. Stir in salt, nutmeg, black pepper, cayenne pepper, 3 cups cheddar cheese, and 1½ cups Gruyère (or 1 cup Pecorino Romano) and the bacon bits.
  12. Set the cheese sauce aside.
  13. Cover a large pot of salted water, and bring to a boil.
  14. Cook the macaroni until the outside of pasta is cooked and the inside is underdone, 2 to 3 minutes.
  15. Transfer the macaroni to a colander, rinse under cold running water, and drain well.
  16. Stir the macaroni into the reserved cheese sauce.
  17. Pour the mixture into the prepared dish.
  18. Sprinkle the remaining 1½ cups cheddar cheese, ½ cup Gruyère (or ¼ cup Pecorino Romano), and the breadcrumbs over the top.
  19. Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes (though we needed a bit more time to get it brown, but your oven may vary).
  20. Transfer the dish to a wire rack for 5 minutes.
  21. Serve.
Notes
I made half of this recipe as there are only two of us to eat this dish at home. We had leftovers and this dish heats up well. It stays creamy and just as good as when it first comes out of the oven.
I have not tried this myself, but if you want to make this full recipe, I imagine you can easily freeze the rest and thaw each portion, put it in the oven to warm up and it'll be just as tasty!
Recipe by sprinkles and sauce at https://sprinklesandsauce.com/mac-and-cheese-with-bacon/