Morton’s Macaroni and Cheese with Bacon

INGREDIENTS
1 pound (12 strips) of bacon
16 ounces dried cavatappi pasta
3 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons finely diced onions
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
16 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese
4 ounces cream cheese
3 ounces (about 2/3 cup) grated parmesan cheese
1 ounce (about 6 tablespoons) grated swiss cheese
1 tablespoon Chile paste
3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
Salt & Pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Fry 1 pound (12 strips) of bacon, break into pieces and put aside
2. Preheat the oven to 400°F
3. Cook 16 ounces dried cavatappi pasta until al dente. Drain but leave a little water on the pasta to keep it moist. Reserve another 1/2 cup of pasta water to thin the sauce. Return to the cooking pot and cover to keep warm
4. In a medium saucepan
   • Melt 3 tablespoons butter over medium heat and sauté 6 tablespoons finely diced onions for about 1 minute or until tender
   • Add 1 1/2 cups heavy cream and bring to a simmer
   • Stir in 10 ounces (about 2 1/2 cups) shredded sharp cheddar cheese;
   • 4 ounces cream cheese cut into small cubes
   • 3 ounces (about 2/3 cup) grated parmesan cheese
   • 1 ounce (about 6 tablespoons) grated swiss cheese
5. Cook, stirring, until the cheeses melt and are fully incorporated into the cream.
6. Let the sauce reach a simmer and stir in 1 tablespoon Chile paste. You will have about 2 1/2 cups of sauce.
7. Remove from the heat and using an immersion blender or hand-held electric mixer, beat for about 45 seconds until the cheeses and onions are completely blended.
8. The sauce will be thick; thin it with the reserved 1/2 cup of pasta water and mix well. Season to taste with salt.
9. Ladle the sauce over the pasta and mix well with a rubber spatula
10. Add 1 pound of bacon pieces
11. Transfer to a deep, 2-quart baking dish and spread the pasta and cheese evenly.
12. Sprinkle 6 ounces of shredded sharp cheddar cheese over the casserole
13. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup panko bread crumbs.
14. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes at 400°F or until hot, brown on top and bubbling around the edges.
15. Serve immediately.

Morton’s The Steakhouse makes a super rich, four cheese, macaroni and cheese. It is crazy cheesy.  Well, the boys at Duckinapot just didn’t think it was rich enough.  YES it has four cheeses, heavy cream and butter in the recipe, we just thought it needed a kick in the pants with a Duckinapot staple… BACON!

The classic American macaroni and cheese returned with Thomas Jefferson to Virginia after his sojourn in Italy. Jefferson had brought back a pasta machine from Italy. His daughter Mary Randolph became the hostess of his house after Jefferson’s wife died and she is credited with inventing the dish using macaroni and Parmesan cheese. Later, the Parmesan was replaced with cheddar cheese. Anyway, that’s one story. It is more likely that Jefferson encountered the dish in Italy and brought back the recipe.

Macaroni & Cheese

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