big boy mac & cheese
Who says that excess is bad? ... and besides, bacon makes it better! This is one of our table's favorite comfort foods. - Geoffry
prep time
30 Min
cook time
1 Hr
method
Bake
yield
6 serving(s)
Ingredients
- 6 slices thick-sliced bacon
- xxx - kosher salt
- 2 cups elbow macaroni
- 2 cups milk
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 4 ounces gruyere cheese, grated
- 6 ounces extra-sharp cheddar, grated
- 4 ounces blue cheese, such as roquefort, crumbled
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- pinch - fresh ground nutmeg
- 2 tablespoons freshly chopped basil leaves
- 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons unsalted melted butter
How To Make big boy mac & cheese
-
Step 1Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place a baking rack on a sheet pan and arrange the bacon in 1 layer on the baking rack. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the bacon is crisp. Remove the pan carefully from the oven - there will be hot grease in the pan! (Reserve 3 tablespoons of this grease!) Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels and crumble when it is cool enough to handle. Drizzle bacon grease into a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the macaroni and cook according to the directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well. Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don't boil it. Melt the butter in a medium pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or 2 more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add all the Gruyere, half of the Cheddar, half of the blue cheese, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni, 3/4 of the basil and the crumbled bacon and fold gently. Pour 1/3 into lightly greased gratin dish. Layer with 1/2 of the remaining blue and Cheddar cheese. Add another 1/3 of the mixture into a gratin. Layer with remaining blue and Cheddar cheese and add the remaining noodle mixture. Sprinkle panko over the top of the pasta and drizzle remaining melted butter over the top. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top. Allow to cool for 3-5 minutes, garnish with remaining basil and serve.
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