Deep Dish Macaroni and Cheese

Serves: 4 for dinner

The day before/ first off

1.) Preheat oven to 375 f

2.) Bring 1 gallon of water to a boil and add ¼ of salt

Ingredients

1.5# smoked bacon

1# macaroni

Directions

1.) Cook pasta in water until slightly crunchy (3 minutes less than packaged instructions)

2.) Drain pasta and rinse under cold water

3.) Cook bacon in oven on sheet pan until browned to your liking making sure to drain and save fat (I like 14-18 minutes)

4.) Chop bacon when cooled

The next day

1.) Preheat oven to 350 f

Ingredients

3 cups milk

2 cup cream

¼ cup sriracha hot sauce (sub your favorite hot sauce)

3 large onions thinly sliced

12 ounces grated cheddar cheese (by weight)

1 lemon cut in half

3 tbsp maple syrup

1.5 cups panko(Japanese) bread crumbs(sub regular)

2 tbsp butter

Reserved bacon fat

Kosher Salt

Black pepper

Non stick spray

Directions

1.) Add 1 tbsp of bacon fat to pan and add 2/3rds of onions and generous pinch of salt.

2.) Cook onions for 25-30 minutes until nicely browned and the scent of sweet onions barrages your senses

3.) While onions cook combine milk, cream, sriracha, remaining onions, and 2 generous pinches of salt into large sauce pan

4.) Cook this on medium high stirring frequently until reduced by ½ approx 25-30 minutes

While onions and sauce cook

1.)Heat up remaining bacon fat and butter and add bread crumbs, salt and pepper, cook on med high until evenly browned( it needs flipping every 30 seconds or so)

Finishing and assembling

1.) Add cheese, maple syrup and juice of both lemons

2.) Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary

3.) Combine pasta with sauce, onions, and chopped bacon stirring to incorporate

4.) Spray casserole dish with non stick spray and add #3 to pan

5.) Sprinkle bread crumbs on top

6.) Bake covered for 37-43 minutes or until the inside is sufficiently hot

7.) Let rest for 5 minutes before serving

Notes

I came up with this when trying to make dinner for staff meal, needless to say it was enjoyed and staff meal never tasted this good. Undercooking the pasta will allow for perfectly cooked pasta at the dinner table; recent research has in fact proven that bacon makes everything better. That kiss of smoke and backing stout flavor explosion balances and conquers your palate. And why the hell not fry bread crumbs in bacon fatty goodness and top the dish with it. It says mac and cheese bordering cassoulet with some sriracha throw in for good measure. I hope you enjoy it.

-pddb