Balthazar Macaroni Gratin (Aka Macaroni and Cheese)

"I am fussy about home baked mac and cheese and rarely want anything added to it beyond the basics but this one is delicious with its slightly smoky bacon which works beautifully with nutty gruyere cheese. I use pancetta because i have it on hand more often. From the Balthazar cookbook"
 
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photo by betsey_radio photo by betsey_radio
photo by betsey_radio
Ready In:
55mins
Ingredients:
9
Serves:
8
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ingredients

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directions

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
  • Cook the macaroni according to the directions on the box. Drain, toss with the olive oil, and set aside in a large mixing bowl.
  • Add the bacon to a small skillet and sauté over medium heat until brown but not crisp, about 10 minutes. Drain on paper towels and add to the cooked macaroni.
  • In a medium saucepan, bring the milk just to a foamy boil, then reduce the heat to very low to keep warm.
  • In another saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. When the foam subsides, remove from the heat. Whisk in the flour and continue stirring until a smooth, pale roux has formed. Return the saucepan to medium heat and, while still whisking steadily, begin ladling the hot milk into the roux, 1 cup at a time, completely incorporating each cup before adding the next. After all the milk has been added, continue to whisk until the sauce thickens and bubbles gently, about 2 minutes. Add the Parmesan, 2 cups of the Gruyère, and the salt and pepper, and stir until the cheese has completely melted.
  • Pour the sauce over the macaroni, mix thoroughly, and pour into a buttered 10 X 14-inch gratin dish. Bake in the oven for 12 minutes. Remove, sprinkle the remaining cup of Gruyère over tire top, and continue baking for an additional 10 minutes, until the top is golden and crunchy.

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Reviews

  1. Delish-- Comfort food -- cheesy and creamy! We skipped the bacon and used skim milk but otherwise made as directed. Thanks for sharing!
     
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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY

http://www.recipezaar.com/members/home/527607/cookswithcattitude.jpg I am a middle aged foodie who has had the luxury of living all over the world except asia. Lived in or grew up in Nigeria, Kenya, Chicago, Russia,and haiti. born in New Zealand, brother born in Austria and many more. I have chronic medication resistant depression after 10 years on anti depressants that worked well but would stop working after a year or two, so now do my best at home living on disabilty. Not a bad thing, many have far worse health issues but i have been able to concentrate on food/cooking. My main passions are my cats. I live in the woods and somehow many starving strays or "dumps" have found the message babies who passed on left in the woods saying "suck lives at xxxx road. Most arrive sick and/or starving. Right now i have 2 that arrived with feline herpes and their attendant 2ndry bacterial infections but are doing beautifully. One old man who was going to be euthanized bc a lady who found him as a stray was moving and didnt want him...well he was a biter and rather grumpy who was in ICU for 3 days with a deadly gut infection which was fixed but he left with a diagnosis of diabetes. 3 months on insulin and finally diet controlled and he caught the herpes virus, respiratory symptom version and turned into a cuddler. Butterscotch must think "why didnt i figure out this cuddle stuff was great before i got sick!" Doing wonderfully even though he has bouts. he and the other kids are my babies. Sadly Butterscotch died of Lymphatic cancer in winter of 2008. A year before Big Boy arrived in my life, starving and weak. Full of affection he jumped into my arms and stayed, turns out he has FIV (cat hiv) so he needs to be watched closely. I love him dearly <img src="http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/susied214/permanent%20collection/Adopted1smp.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"> <img src="http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/susied214/permanent%20collection/smPACp.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"> <img src="http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b280/carolinamoon21/Stockingswapcopy.jpg"> <img src="http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/susied214/permanent%20collection/participantbannerzwt5.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"> <img src="http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y53/DUCHESS13/cookbookswap.jpg"> <img src="http://www.caymandesigns.com/foodothers/fallswap.jpg">
 
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