Alpine-Style Macaroni and Cheese with Bacon
Joseph Erdos

 

Alpine-Style Macaroni and Cheese with Bacon

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Alpine mac and cheese to warm you to the bones

If you had to pick just one dish that represents the category of comfort food better than any other, what would it be? My pick would be good old fashioned mac and cheese. Many people think of macaroni and cheese as a true American dish, but in fact its roots lie with the cheese-loving Swiss. Who better to have invented the dish?

What makes macaroni and cheese so popular everywhere is the fact that it's a basic dish to put together, using simple and satisfying ingredients. In this recipe it's cheese, pasta and bacon -- is there a combination any more comforting? This macaroni is hearty enough to get a mountain climber to the top of the Alps and back.

My recipe combines the classic Alpine cheeses of raclette, Gruyere and fontina. Other good Swiss cheeses like Appenzeller or Emmentaler would work well too. The combination of cheeses is typical of a Swiss fondue. And it's the perfect blend for this mac and cheese. Thickly sliced bacon adds a great bite and salty flavor to the dish. And even if you don't live in an Alpine ski chalet, you can enjoy this dish on a cold day. It's even better after a day of being out in the snow.

Alpine-Style Macaroni and Cheese with Bacon

Serves 4-6.

1 pound elbow macaroni

3/4 pound thick-cut bacon, diced

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

3 cups hot milk

Fine sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Freshly grated nutmeg

1 cup shredded raclette, plus 1/2 cup for topping (6 ounce total)

1 cup shredded Gruyere (4 ounces)

1 cup shredded young fontina (4 ounces)

1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Cook the macaroni in a large pot of liberally salted water a few minutes short of al dente.

Meanwhile, fry bacon in a skillet until brown but not too crisp. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and reserve the fat.

While the pasta cooks, melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add 3 tablespoons bacon fat and flour. Cook the roux, stirring constantly, until thickened and nutty in color, about 3 minutes. Pour in the hot milk, and whisk constantly until thickened and the sauce coats the back of the spoon, about 5 minutes. Season lightly with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Stir in the cheeses, a handful at a time, and stir until melted. Stir in the macaroni and the bacon until evenly incorporated.

Grease four 6-inch mini skillets or gratin dishes or six 12-ounce ramekins or ovenproof bowls with about 1 to 2 tablespoons bacon fat. Spoon macaroni mixture into each, mounding the top. Scatter over with remaining raclette and breadcrumbs, dividing evenly. Drizzle over with about 1 tablespoon bacon fat. Place dishes on a large rimmed baking sheet and tent with foil. Bake for 15 minutes. Uncover and set under broiler for no more than 5 minutes to brown lightly. Serve hot.

Pasta Recipe, Alpine Swiss Cuisine

 

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Alpine-Style Macaroni and Cheese with Bacon

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