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Italian Style Mac n Cheese with Bacon

Here is my Italian Style Mac n Cheese and just in time for the Holidays.
My recipe is made with 4 kinds of creamy Italian cheese and bacon! Yes, I said BACON and this is the best Mac n Cheese I have ever had! Perfect for every day but as a holiday side dish, it’s going to blow all your guests’ minds.

Cheese Sauce Ingredients:

  • 5-cups of whole milk
  • 1-cup heavy cream
  • 5-tbs flour
  • 8-tbs butter
  • 1/2-lb of bacon cooked, drained and crumbled
  • 1/4-cup chopped parsley
  • 1/4-cup minced onion
  • 1-garlic clove minced
  • 4-oz. grated Parmesan cheese
  • 4-oz. grated Asiago cheese
  • 8-oz. shredded Fontina cheese
  • 8-oz. shredded Provolone cheese

Macaroni:

  • 1-lb of elbow macaroni cooked 3-min short or recommended time, strained
  • 1/2-cup of pasta water

Topping Ingredients
In a bowl mix all the following ingredients-

  • 1-cup of breadcrumbs
  • 1/2-cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 6-tbs melted butter
  • 1/4-cup chopped parsley
  • 4-strips of bacon prepared as above, crumbled (more if you love bacon)
  • 1/2-tsp salt
  • 1/4-tsp pepper

Making the Mac and Cheese: 

  1. Melt the butter in a large heavy pot and sauté the onion, garlic, salt, pepper for 5 minutes
  2. Add the flour and whisk for 2-3 minutes until this thickens
  3. Add the cream, milk and stir until this comes to a boil
  4. Lower to a simmer and stir in all the cheese.
  5. Stir until the cheese melts while adding the 1/2 cup of pasta water
  6. Stir in the parsley, bacon and the cooked macaroni until all combined
  7. Pour this into a 9″x13″ buttered baking dish
  8. Spread on the topping
  9. Bake in a preheated 400-degree oven for 20-30 minutes. You’ll see the cheese bubbling and the top will be a golden brown. That’s when you know it’s done.

 

The key to this or any good Mac n Cheese is to always start with cheese you grate or shred. Please do not use pre-grated or shredded cheese because they have a coating to keep
the cheese from clumping and that will also keep the cheese from melting they way we want them too. And we want the cheese to melt.
Enjoy!

Daniel Mancini

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