First off, who doesn't love Mac and Cheese? And secondly, my sister REALLY loves mac and cheese, so this is an homage to her baked pasta loving tendencies. I love the straightforward, simple version, but every now and then I get the itch to liven it up a bit. This is a very simple way to do that: throw in a little bacon and some peas, and BOOM, instant elevation. The bacon and peas have that lovely salty/sweet combination, with peas bringing a little bit of freshness to this decadent dish.
Bacon & Pea Mac & Cheese
For one 9x13 baking dish
4 oz gruyere, grated
8 oz yellow cheddar, grated
4 oz parm, grated
8 slices bacon, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups frozen peas
8-10 oz macaroni (Depending on how cheesy you like it)
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Salt and Pepper
For the Béchamel:
1 3/4 pints milk
several sprigs of parsley
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
10 peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon chili flake
1 bay leaf
up to 6 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup flour
For the béchamel, bring the milk and everything else except for the butter and flour to a simmer. In a separate sauce pan, cook the bacon over medium heat until just crisp. Remove the bacon, but keep the fat in the pan. If there isn't 6 tablespoons of fat, add the difference in butter and melt, then add the flour. Stir until doughy and smelling a bit nutty (about one minute). Strain in the milk about a half cup at a time, whisking to incorporate with the butter and flour mix. It should be smooth and velvety, not chunky or too thick. If it is, just add some more milk to thin it out. Take off heat and add the grated cheese.
Meanwhile, mix bread crumbs with a 1/4 cup of the bacon pieces, a pinch of salt and pepper, and a tablespoon of butter, melted.
Meanwhile, mix bread crumbs with a 1/4 cup of the bacon pieces, a pinch of salt and pepper, and a tablespoon of butter, melted.
Fold in the remaining bacon pieces, macaroni, and then peas into the béchamel.
Pour into a greased 9x13 inch baking dish or group of ramekins, top with breadcrumbs, and bake at 375 for 30-45 minutes (depending on ramekins or one large baking dish), or until the sauce is bubbly and the crust is browned on top.
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