Four Cheese and Sage Mac n’ Cheese with Crispy Bacon

Today I am bringing you all a little comfort food to help ease the January blues.

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Comfort food = macaroni and cheese, I mean what else…? I feel that mac and cheese is like the childhood best friend of food. You probably discovered it when you were six, turned to it after your first break up/ failed driving test/ hideously unattractive haircut and now even though you very rarely eat it (or meet up with said friend), whenever you do you get a huge sense of nostalgia and joy.

I have put a little bit of a twist on M a C today with this recipe: firstly by adding four different types of cheese (excessive but delicious) and secondly by infusing the butter, for the roux, with sage. This helps to update it from the nursery food classic into something you could reasonably serve adults, well I think so anyway…

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Serves 2

Prep Time: 5 minutes 

Cooking Time: 25 minutes 

Ingredients

  • 125 g pasta (I used rigatoni)
  • 20 g butter
  • 20 g plain flour
  • 260 ml semi skimmed milk
  • 100 g cheese (25 g grated cheddar, 25g grated parmesan, 25 g diced brie, 25 g diced mozzarella)
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 rashers of bacon, coarsley chopped
  • 1 spring of sage, leaves finely chopped

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.
  2. Line a baking tray with foil and drizzle the olive oil over it. Lay the bacon down and sprinkle it with pepper and half of the sage leaves. Leave to one side until the mac and cheese is also ready to be baked.
  3. Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions. I recommend doing it for around 9 minutes until it is al dente.
  4. Meanwhile place the butter and sage in a saucepan on a medium heat for a couple of minutes until the butter has melted. When the butter starts to bubble a little turn the heat down to low and use a spoon to to fish out the sage – this will give the butter a subtle infusion of flavour.
  5. Add the flour and stir with a whisk until it has combined to form a paste. Turn the heat back up to medium and gradually add the milk a little at a time, whisking as you do. This should take 5 – 10 minutes. When all the milk has been added turn the heat up to high until it boils and thickens up and then remove from the heat. Generously season with salt and pepper and then add the cheese and stir until fully combined.
  6. Drain the pasta and stir it into the cheese mix and then pour into an oven proof dish. If you wish; sprinkle any remaining cheese on top of the pasta. Place this in the oven, at the same time as the bacon and leave to cook for 10 minutes until lightly browned.

I hope that you enjoyed this recipe! Please let me know in the comments what you think and do not forget to subscribe or follow my Instagram for more recipes from me! The links to do both can be found in the side bar >>>. 

66 thoughts on “Four Cheese and Sage Mac n’ Cheese with Crispy Bacon”

  17. Pingback: Four Cheese and Sage Mac n’ Cheese with Crispy Bacon~WishToDish – Once Upon a Spice
  19. Tony says:
    Reply

    Thanks for stopping by my blog and liking my post on how much 20 minutes of exercise means to your body. Your four cheese mac and cheese with sage and bacon sounds wonderful. Comfort food is the right description.

    Liked by 1 person

  21. foodwasteaced02 says:
    Reply

    Wow- this looks so gooey and cheesy! I love a good mac and cheese and this looks like a fantastic recipe. My younger brother ADORES mac & cheese, so I’m planning on making this soon 🙂

    Like

  38. Deb says:
    Reply

    Apparently I haven’t grown up, I eat mac n cheese quite often. 😉 You are so right about it being a comfort food, but it’s just so darn yummy too! Can’t wait to try this recipe…looks delish!! Thanks for sharing. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  39. Teti says:
    Reply

    During weekend I have eaten a looot of pasta and now I am trying to behave myself and avoid pasta for some days. But your posts do not help me! Your dishes are really appealing!

    Liked by 1 person

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