Irish Yankee Mac and Cheese
- Level: Easy
- Yield: 6 to 8 servings
- Nutritional Analysis Per Serving (Serving Size: 1 of 22 servings)
Calories: 318 | Total Fat: 19 g | Saturated Fat: 10 g | Carbohydrates: 21 g | Dietary Fiber: 1 g | Sugar: 4 g | Protein: 16 g | Cholesterol: 50 mg | Sodium: 368 mg - Total: 40 min
- Active: 15 min
- 1 pound elbow macaroni or your preferred pasta
- 1 tablespoon canola oil (omit if making vegetarian version)
- 5 slices bacon, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, ideally Irish
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 4 1/2 cups milk
- 5 cups shredded sharp white Cheddar cheese, preferably Irish
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups frozen peas, thawed
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
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- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta 2 minutes less than the package directions. Drain and set aside.
- Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, cook the bacon over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until it starts to crisp, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 more minute. Remove the garlic and bacon and set aside.
- In the same skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, whisking, for 1 minute until a paste forms. Continuously whisking, add the milk in slow increments until incorporated into the flour paste. Cook until thick and smooth, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Add the Cheddar in 3 batches and stir, until it has melted and becomes a smooth sauce. Season with the salt and pepper. Add the macaroni, peas, and bacon-garlic mixture to the sauce.
- Pour and scrape the macaroni into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, sprinkle with the Parmesan, and bake until golden, about 20 minutes. Serve immediately for that irresistible, gooey pull.
From "The Quick Six Fix" by Stuart O'Keeffe. Copyright 2016 by Stuart O'Keeffe. Adapted by permission of William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
