IRISH YANKEE MAC AND CHEESE

Irish Yankee Mac and Cheese image

Provided by @MakeItYours

Number Of Ingredients 1

1 pound elbow macaroni or your favorite pasta 1 tablespoon canola oil (if eliminating bacon for vegetarian version) 5 slices bacon, diced 4 cloves garlic, minced 4 tablespoons butter (such as Kerrygold Irish butter) 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour 4

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 375˚F. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta 2 minutes less than the package instructs. Set aside. In a large nonstick skillet, cook the bacon until it begins to crisp, about 4-5 minutes. Add garlic, cook for 1 more minute. Remove garlic and bacon to a plate, and set aside. In the same skillet, melt butter in the bacon drippings over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute until a paste forms. While continuously whisking, add the milk in slow increments until completely incorporated into the flour paste. Cook until thickened and smooth, about 8-10 minutes. Add in the cheddar and 1 cup parmesan cheese in thirds, until it has melted and becomes a velvety sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Add the reserved pasta, peas and bacon-garlic mixture to the sauce. Pour and scrape the macaroni into a 13x9-inch baking dish, sprinkle with remaining cup Parmesan and place in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes. Serve. Excerpt from "The Quick Six Fix" by Stuart O'Keeffe. Copyright © 2017 by Stuart O'Keeffe. Used with permission by William Morrow Cookbooks. All rights reserved. MORE: Mac and Cheese Buffalo Chicken Mac 'N Cheese Mac and Cheese with Cauliflower