Macaroni and Cheese Carbonara

Name: Macaroni and Cheese Carbonara
Prep time: 1 h 5 min
Cook time: 1 h 5 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 8 slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces; 12 servings Freshly ground black pepper; 454 grams cream cheese, room temperature; 454 grams elbow macaroni; 237 milliliters ounces Gruyere, shredded (about; 591 milliliters half-and-half; 12 servings Kosher salt; 12 servings Extra-virgin olive oil; 237 milliliters panko bread crumbs; 4 scallions, thinly sliced; 710 milliliters ounces sharp Cheddar, shredded (about

The recipe Macaroni and Cheese Carbonar A mixture of elbow macaroni, half-and-half, cream cheese, and a handful of other ingredients are all it takes to make this recipe so yummy. To use up the half & half you could follow this main course with the Coconut Cream Pie Made With Half & Half as a dessert.

Instructions

Set an oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

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Oven

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

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Water

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Pot

Add the macaroni and cook until it is al dente, about 6 minutes. Strain, reserving 1 3/4 cups of the pasta water. Set aside.

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Water

Macaroni

Cook the bacon in a large saucepan over medium heat until it is crispy and most of the fat has been rendered, about 15 minutes.

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Bacon

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Sauce Pan

Transfer the bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate.

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Bacon

Pour the fat into a small heat-safe measuring cup.

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Measuring Cup

Add enough olive oil to total 1/4 cup of fat. Reserve.

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Olive Oil

Carefully wipe out the saucepan (or give it a quick rinse if it is really dirty).

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Sauce Pan

Add the half-and-half and 2 teaspoons pepper and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook until reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 15 minutes.

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Pepper

Add the cream cheese and stir until melted.

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Cream Cheese

Whisk in the Cheddar and Gruyere until all the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth.

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Cheese

Gruyere

Sauce

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Whisk

Add the macaroni and the reserved pasta water to the saucepan and stir to combine. (It will look very loose, but the pasta will suck up a lot of the sauce as it bakes.) Season to taste with salt if needed. Gently fold in the bacon and 3/4 of the sliced scallions.

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Water

Green Onions

Macaroni

Bacon

Pasta

Sauce

Salt

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Sauce Pan

Pour into a 13-by-9-inch baking dish.

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Baking Pan

Toss the bread crumbs with the reserved bacon-fat mixture and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl.

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Breadcrumbs

Bacon

Salt

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Bowl

Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the top of the macaroni and cheese and bake until the cheese is bubbly and the bread crumbs are lightly browned and crispy, about 10 minutes.

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Macaroni And Cheese