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Italian Inspired Mac and Cheese

Here is my Italian Inspired Mac and Cheese Recipe

My recipe is made with 4 creamy Italian cheeses and bacon.
I’ve posted this recipe many time over the past few years and I still get requests to post it again, so here it is. I’m so humbled and blow away at the comments I get on this recipe. It’s safe to say other then your recipe it’s the best one out there.

 

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 bread crumbs
  • 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) I do 😍
  • 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 and 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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