Bacon Mac & Cheese
INGREDIENTS
Macaroni Pasta
Streaky Bacon
Milk
Butter
Flour
Cheddar Cheese
INSTRUCTIONS
Start by laying your Bacon into a pan, and turn the heat between medium and low.
Keep turning the Bacon every few minutes.
Add a small splash of Water, reduce, and repeat until the Bacon gets really nice and crispy.
Remove the Bacon from the pan and pop to one side.
At this point quickly turn the oven on and pre heat to 180 degrees.
Place a sauce pan of water on a high heat and heavily season, once the Water starts to boil add 500g of Macaroni Pasta.
We need to make sure we cook the Pasta for 2 minutes less than the cooking time on the packet.
While the Pasta cooks, take a sauce pan or Dutch oven, place on a low to medium heat and add 2 Tbsp of Butter.
Once the Butter starts to melt add 2 Tbsp of Flour, and stir together into a paste.
Cook out the Flour and Butter for around 3-5 Minutes before very slowly adding Milk, around a third of a cup at a time.
Stir the Sauce vigorously as you add Milk until you have a nice thick bechamel sauce.
At this point, grate around 400g of extra mature Cheddar Cheese into the Bechamel and stir it through.
Make sure the Cheese is perfectly melted through so the sauce is thick gloopy and Cheesy.
Next, remove a cup full of the Pasta Water and set aside, drain the Pasta and pop it straight into the sauce.
Stir the Macaroni in to the Cheese sauce, add a splash of pasta Water, stir again and taste for seasoning.
Add a pinch of Salt if it needs it, and spoon the Macaroni Cheese into a baking dish.
Finish the Macaroni Cheese with another grating of Cheddar, if you wish, and place into the oven.
Bake the Macaroni Cheese for about 10 minutes.
Remove the Mac from the oven.
To finish, cut up the Bacon in to small pieces, scatter them over the Macaroni Cheese, and serve.
Enjoy