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Southern Mac and Cheese

Southern Mac and Cheese

Name: Southern Mac and Cheese
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: Bacon ¼ lb; Olive oil 1 tbsp; Leek 2; Pasta 16 oz package; Butter 1 ½ tbsp; All-purpose flour 1 ½ tbsp; Milk 1 cup; Mustard powder ½ tsp; Salt ¼ tsp; Black pepper ¼ tsp; Red pepper 1 pinch; Cheddar cheese 1 cup; Egg yolks 1; Gruyère cheese ½ cup; Heavy cream 2 tbsp; Breadcrumbs ¼ cup

a decadent take on a classic dish

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1h 5m
Serves 6
Medium
375 °F
(1)

Ingredients

	¼ lb Bacon thick slices, diced (about 4 slices)
	1 tbsp Olive oil
	2 Leek medium , cut into 1/2-inch rounds (about 1 cup)
	16 oz package Pasta cavatappi, uncooked
	1 ½ tbsp Butter unsalted
	1 ½ tbsp All-purpose flour
	1 cup Milk warmed
	½ tsp Mustard powder
	¼ tsp Salt
	¼ tsp Black pepper ground
	1 pinch Red pepper ground
	1 cup Cheddar cheese freshly grated , divided
	1 Egg yolks
	½ cup Gruyère cheese freshly grated
	2 tbsp Heavy cream
	¼ cup Breadcrumbs toasted soft, fresh

Nutritional information

313

сalories

23,1g

fat

14,9g

protein

11,7g

carbohydrates

93mg

cholesterol

635mg

sodium

Cuisine:

American Recipes

Ingredients

¼ lb Bacon
thick slices, diced (about 4 slices)
1 tbsp Olive oil
2 Leek
medium , cut into 1/2-inch rounds (about 1 cup)
16 oz package Pasta
cavatappi, uncooked
1 ½ tbsp Butter
unsalted
1 ½ tbsp All-purpose flour
1 cup Milk
warmed
½ tsp Mustard powder
¼ tsp Salt
¼ tsp Black pepper
ground
1 pinch Red pepper
ground
1 cup Cheddar cheese
freshly grated , divided
1 Egg yolks
½ cup Gruyère cheese
freshly grated
2 tbsp Heavy cream
¼ cup Breadcrumbs
toasted soft, fresh

Southern Mac and Cheese

This Southern Mac and Cheese is a decadent take on a classic dish. I add crispy fried bacon and leeks to this cheesy dish to elevate it from great to absolutely amazing! Mac and Cheese is one of my favorite comfort foods. I love to make it in advance and when I get home from a day’s activities, I bake it in the oven and enjoy!

To make this I start by frying bacon in some olive oil. Then I cook some leeks slightly in a large pot of boiling water. I make a velvet smooth cheese sauce from flour, milk, dry mustard and cheese. Assemble the mac and cheese bake by mixing the pasta, cheese sauce, bacon and leek together in an ovenproof dish and bake in the oven for 35 minutes. Yum!

To make Southern Mac and Cheese, you will need the following ingredients:

So, how to make Southern Mac and Cheese?

Steps to make Southern Mac and Cheese

1	Heat the oven	5
Preheat the oven to 375 °F.
2	Cook the bacon	5
Pour the oil into a large pan or skillet. Cook the bacon over medium heat until it is crispy. Remove and drain the bacon on paper towels.
3	Cook leeks	5
Add boiling water to a Dutch oven. Cook the leeks in the water for about 5 minutes. Remove them with a slotted spoon and transfer them to a bowl of iced water to stop the cooking process. Drain.
4	Cook pasta	10
Follow the package directions to cook the pasta al dente. Drain well.
5	Melt the butter	1
Place the butter in a large skillet and melt it over medium heat.
6	Make the cheese sauce	5
Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the flour and whisk until smooth. Cook while whisking constantly for two minutes. It should turn a golden brown color. Whisk in the milk gradually and continue to cook while whisking constantly until the sauce thickens. Whisk in dry mustard, salt, black and red pepper and ½ cup of cheese. Stir constantly until the cheese melts.
7	Remove from heat	1
Remove from heat and set to one side. Check and adjust the seasoning.
8	Mix together pasta, sauce, bacon, leek and egg yolk	2
Mix the pasta, cheese sauce and half each of the crispy bacon and leeks and one egg yolk together. Mix in the Gruyère cheese and the remaining ½ cup of Cheddar cheese.
9	Place in a baking dish	3
Place the pasta mixture in a greased 8-inch baking dish or cast-iron skillet. Top with the remaining bacon and leeks. Drizzle cream over the top and sprinkle with breadcrumbs.
10	Bake	35
Bake in the oven for 35 minutes until it is golden and bubbling. Remove from the oven and allow to stand for 15 minutes.
11	Serve
Serve as it is or with a fresh green salad.

This Southern Mac and Cheese is an amazingly decadent take on this classic dish! Velvet sauce, cavatappi pasta, bacon and leek - the best ingredient combination! Try it soon and don’t forget to come back and leave a review!

Jeff O'connor

Jeff is a 38-year-old bachelor who prefers not to waste his time on salads and light meals. He’s a true carnivore who knows how to enjoy food to the max! Jeff will tell you how to cook rich and filling meals from scratch, bringing some real meaty decadence to your kitchen. His recipes are sure to satisfy every meat lover!