Baked Mac And Cheese With Bacon
Active Time: 30 mins
Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins
Servings: 10
Ingredients:
1 lb. uncooked large elbow macaroni
1 Tbsp. plus 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, divided
3/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs
2 oz. Parmesan cheese, shredded or grated (about 1/2 cup)
6 thick-cut bacon slices, cooked and crumbled, divided
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. dry mustard
3 cups whole milk
1 cup whole buttermilk
1/3 cup unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the dish
12 oz. extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded (about 3 cups)
4 oz. Monterey Jack, provolone, or mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)
2 large eggs, well beaten
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil over high heat in a large stockpot. Stir in pasta and 1 tablespoon of the salt, and return to a boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender but still firm, about 6 minutes. Reserve and set aside 2 cups of cooking water, and then drain the pasta. Return pasta to the pot, and remove from the heat. Cover to keep warm.
Generously butter a 13- x 9-inch baking dish, and set aside. Toss together breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, and half of the cooked, crumbled bacon in a bowl, and set aside. Stir together flour, pepper, mustard, and remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in a small bowl. Heat milk and buttermilk in a medium saucepan over medium, undisturbed, until barely steaming but not boiling, 4 to 5 minutes. Set aside.
Melt butter in a large heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour mixture. Cook, whisking often, until mixture is smooth and thick and has a delicate golden color and toasted aroma, about 2 minutes.
Slowly whisk in the warm milk mixture. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cook, stirring often, until thickened to the texture of cream, about 3 minutes.
Stir shredded Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses into the milk mixture, and remove from heat. Stir in beaten eggs until the mixture forms a smooth sauce.
Uncover cooked pasta, and stir. (If pasta sticks together, stir in reserved warm cooking water, and drain again.) Stir cheese mixture and remaining bacon into drained pasta in the stockpot.
Transfer pasta mixture to prepared baking dish, and sprinkle evenly with breadcrumb mixture.
Bake in preheated oven until firm, puffed up, and lightly browned, 35 to 40 minutes. Serve hot or warm.
Notes:
Frequently Asked Questions:
Why is my baked mac and cheese dry?
When preparing the sauce, take care to cook it only until thickened to a creamy consistency. The sauce will continue to tighten up in the oven as the pasta cooks and soaks up some of the liquid, so you only need to thicken it lightly on the stovetop.
Should I cover or uncover my mac and cheese while baking?
This mac and cheese is cooked uncovered, so the breadcrumb topping browns while the pasta cooks.
Are the eggs in mac and cheese necessary?
Adding eggs to mac and cheese is an easy way to achieve a sauce that’s custardy, thick, velvety, and oh so delicious.
Recipe courtesy of Southern Living.com