Crunchy Macaroni & Cheese with Bacon: Webisode #12

My Day So Far: A morning trip to Dorie's Cookie Bar with friends!

Naptime Goals: Prepare Crunchy Macaroni and Cheese with Bacon for dinner, start packing for trip to Florida!

Tonight's Meal: Macaroni and Cheese, green salad with arugula, pine nuts and gorgonzola.

Parenting Lesson of the Day: Sometimes packing for vacation feels like moving an army.

I've never met anyone who does not like Macaroni and Cheese. It probably isn't totally off base to assume that it is one of America's favorite casseroles. There are endless variations, and even entire cookbooks devoted strictly to the myriad of ways it can be assembled. My family is no different from the rest of America in our love for this classic dish. In fact, it is often served as the main course at our house these days, too prominent and important to be regarded as the side dish to larger meals like baked ham or steak.

Recently I came across this recipe on Food52 which directed me to this other article by Julie Moskin. In both instances the authors write about their preference, on occasion, for crunchy macaroni and cheese instead of the common creamy variety.  I couldn't agree more. Sometimes I am in the mood for a dense pasta casserole full of white sauce and several mild cheeses similar to my Orecchiette with Three Cheeses and Pancetta, but other times I prefer a sharper cheese and firmer pasta. In fact, to be completely honest, I have been known to eat the crust off of my deep dish macaroni and cheese, then leave the rest for my daughter.

Imagine my glee when I discovered this new technique for making macaroni and cheese on sheet pan. It contains all of the delicious sharp cheddar flavors I love and is baked in a single layer to maintain an even crunch. The touch of milk poured on top helps keep the cheese slightly loose, but this recipe essentially makes a delicious macaroni and cheese crust without the soupy underbelly. To give it some additional flavor adapted the original recipe by adding some crunchy bacon and panko bread crumbs.

To demonstrate how easy this is to prepare I made the video above during my daughter's afternoon naptime. I simply baked the pan and reheated it in the evening. However, I should mention that this is so simple it can also be assembled right before you want to eat if you don't have much time to prepare it during the day. I guarantee once you try this you will love it, it is the family classic re-invented. 

Crunchy Macaroni and Cheese with Bacon

adapted from Amanda Hesser and Julie Moskin

3 T. butter

12 oz. extra-sharp cheddar cheese, coarsely grated

12 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, coarsely grated

1/4 t. dry mustard

6 strips good quality bacon, cooked and coarsely chopped

1/2 c. panko bread crumbs

2/3 c. whole milk
1 lb. pasta spiral or curls

Pinch Salt

1. Preheat oven to 475ºF. Take 1 T. of butter and thickly grease an 11x17 inch jelly roll pan. Make sure every inch is covered.

2. In a large heatproof bowl combine the cheese and set aside 2 c. in a separate measuring cup.

3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the pasta and cook for 6 minutes. Drain.

4. Working quickly, put the drained pasta in the bowl with the cheese, add the mustard, a pinch of salt, the bacon pieces and panko. Using a wooden spoon, toss the mixture until all evenly incorporated.

5. Next, spread the mixture onto the buttered sheet pan and pour the milk evenly over the surface. Top with the remaining cheese and dot with remaining butter.

6. Finally, bake it for 15 minutes, until golden and crisp.

Naptime Notes:

Naptime Recipes Ideas and Variations: If you'd rather not have bacon you can feel free to omit it and just stick to classic Mac and Cheese. Another thought, if you'd like you could add chopped red pepper or tomatoes for a nice vegetable twist.

Naptime Stopwatch: As you can see, making this takes a brief 20 minutes, including baking time. The biggest time saver is staging the cheese and bacon - prepare them ahead of time so everything can be assembled while the pasta is still hot.

Naptime Reviews: This is a huge hit with both adults and children. It is also great for parties, it's easy to prepare and great for kids.

Orecchiette with Pancetta & Three Cheeses

Almost everyone agrees that Macaroni & Cheese is the ultimate comfort food. There is something so inviting about eating a big bowl of pasta curls nestled in a bed of melted cheese, topped with a lightly breaded crust. It is dish that requires no tough cutting of meat, hard chewing or addition of complicated sauces. Every bite is a simple, smooth mouthful of warmth that I, for one, always turn to when in need of a soothing meal.

Over the years I've made my mother's Mac-n-Cheese recipe countless times, but a couple of years ago I discovered a new variation in Bon Appetit. The recipe replaced macaroni with orecchiette, added two additional cheeses, pancetta (as you all know, a favorite of mine), onion, garlic and a hint of spice. The recipe was like my mother's, only with the flavor volume turned way up.

Last week my daughter was felled with her first (of many, I'm sure) fall cold. It wasn't fun for any of us. Luckily it was very mild, but her sniffles required that I chase her around with tissues while she tried, somewhat successfully, to dodge my attempts at wiping her nose. (I won't even get started on the circus that ensued when I had to keep her still for nose drops.) Thankfully the ordeal only lasted about 24 hours, but by the end of it I was spent. Between her sick-day antics and my nose-wiping workout, I wanted a dinner that was hearty, filling and comforting, all at once.


One of my favorite parts about this recipe is that it is a snap to make during my daughter's afternoon naptime. It only takes a few minutes to form a creamy, rich bechamel sauce full of crispy pancetta. Then I simply mixed it with the freshly cooked pasta, add the panko topping and place it in the oven to bake. In fact, I've made this so many times that when I completed it last week I still had enough time to put my feet up before my daughter woke - always a welcome bonus.


When we finally reached dinner I re-heated the dish and served myself a big helping. The panko had crisped just the right amount in the oven so that when cracked with the serving spoon it made a tantalizing crunch. From underneath a little bit of steam released revealing a silky cheese and pasta casserole, studded with just the right amount of crispy pancetta. Needless to say we all greatly enjoyed dinner that evening. I know my family was thrilled to be eating one of their favorite dinners, but I think I was the happiest. My plate was filled with comfort food at its finest. It was my reward for making it through the day, and it was very tasty.

Orecchiette with Pancetta & Three Cheeses
adapted from Bon Appetit, September 2008

1 lb. orecchiette pasta
6 T. unsalted butter, cut into 1 T. pieces
4 oz. pancetta, thinly sliced and coarsely chopped
1 c. onion, finely chopped
1/2 t. red pepper, or more to taste if you prefer spicy food
1/4 garlic clove, minced
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
3 c. whole milk, plus more for additions later on
2 1/2 c. cheddar cheese, grated
1 c. Parmesan cheese, grated
8oz. mascarpone cheese
1 3/4 c. panko breadcrumbs
Salt & Pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350. Cook pasta in boiling salted water according to package instructions. Drain pasta and set aside.
2. Melt 1 T. of butter in a large, deep skillet. Add pancetta and let it crisp for 6-8 minutes, until it has the texture of almost cooked bacon. Then, add the onion and stir gently until it is soft and slightly golden. Add the garlic and red pepper, stir for 2 minutes, making sure it is evenly distributed.
3. To the pancetta mixture add 2 T. butter and allow it to melt. Add flour and stir for a minute, allowing it to thicken. Then, working quickly, whisk in milk. Be sure to keep whisking to make the roux and get out any lumps in the sauce. Stir for about five minutes, or until the milk starts to thicken and can coat the back of a spoon.
4. Remove the sauce from the heat and add the cheddar, parmesan and mascarpone. Stir well to make sure all of the cheeses are incorporated. If sauce it too thick, add more milk by the 1/4 cupfuls to loosen it up. Taste the sauce and add salt and pepper as needed.
5. Gently, pour the pasta into the prepared sauce and stir to make sure it is all mixed together. Then, pour it into a 9x13 baking dish.
7. To prepare the breadcrumbs, melt 3 T. butter in a shallow pan and add panko. Swirl the panko and butter gently in the skillet with a wooden spoon, toasting panko until just golden. Remove from heat. Spread toasted panko evenly over top of the casserole.
8. Bake for 30 minutes, or until heated through. Can be made ahead of time and re-heated.

Naptime Notes:
Naptime Recipe Props: As noted above, this dish is the ultimate comfort food. I love that it is a more mature version, full of different flavors and spices. If you feel like adding different seasonings or spices go ahead and play around a little.
Naptime Stopwatch: Preparing the sauce and pasta takes about 30 minutes, then another 30 minutes of cooking time. The best part? This takes an hour to make and can feed the family for at least two nights!
Naptime Reviews: My family wholeheartedly agrees that this is the best macaroni and cheese next to my mothers. They love the different flavors that seem to make it richer and more adult. However, my daughter loves this, as well. I am sure other kids would, too.