There’s something undeniably comforting about a bubbling dish of homemade mac and cheese, and this bacon version takes that classic comfort food to the next level. Tender elbow macaroni is coated in a rich, velvety cheese sauce made with mature cheddar, Dijon mustard and a hint of nutmeg, then combined with crispy, smoky bacon for extra flavour and texture.
Topped with a golden, crunchy layer of fresh breadcrumbs, crushed cornflakes and Parmesan, it bakes until beautifully crisp on top and irresistibly creamy underneath. Perfect for a cosy family dinner, a weekend treat or a crowd-pleasing side, this is comfort food at its best.
Mac n Cheese
There’s something undeniably comforting about a bubbling dish of homemade mac and cheese, and this bacon version takes that classic comfort food to the next level. Tender elbow macaroni is coated in a rich, velvety cheese sauce made with mature cheddar, Dijon mustard and a hint of nutmeg, then combined with crispy, smoky bacon for extra flavour and texture.
Ingredients
- 500 grams elbow macaroni
- 120 grams bacon chopped
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 90 grams unsalted butter
- 80 grams all-purpose flour
- 1 heaped tsp Dijon mustard
- 1250 ml whole milk
- Salt pepper, nutmeg
- 400 grams mature cheddar cheese grated
- 50 grams fresh breadcrumbs
- 35 grams cornflakes crushed
- 20 grams parmesan cheese grated
- 30 grams olive oil
Instructions
- Cook Pasta in plenty of salted water, 1 minute less than the time stated on the packet. Drain but keep about a cup pasta water.
- In a large pot, cook bacon with olive oil over medium heat until beginning to get some colour and release its juices.
- Add butter in the pot. As soon as it melts add flour and cook until fragrant and beginning to colour.
- Slowly add in milk, whisking all the time until incorporated. Add mustard and cook until beginning to simmer and thicken slightly. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg and cook stirring until it simmers and thickens slightly.
- Mix pasta with bechamel sauce, grated cheddar cheese and about 1/3 cup of the pasta cooking water to loosen the mixture. Transfer in a baking dish.
- To make the crunchy topping, mix breadcrumbs, cornflakes and parmesan in a bowl. Add olive oil and mix to incorporate and coat the ingredients. Sprinkle over the macaroni. (At this stage, you can keep macaroni and cheese in the fridge up to 24 hour before baking)
- Bake at 180˚ C fan for 30-35 minutes until bubbling and topping is crunchy and golden.
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