Mac and Cheese

Ingredients:

Mac and Cheese Bar

• 450 g thick slices of peppered bacon
• 3 onions, thinly sliced ​​into half rings
• 3 tablespoons of butter
• 220 g of gorgonzola
• Prepared buns and/or mac and cheese, for serving

Sauce

• 4 cups dry pasta
• 1 whole egg
• 55 g butter
• 1/4 cup premium flour
• 2.5 cups whole milk
• 2 tsp mustard powder (or to taste)
• 450 g sharp cheddar, freshly grated + extra for baking
• Seasoned salt

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 175°C.
2. Cook the pasta until al dente. Drain.
3. In a small bowl, beat the egg. In a large saucepan, melt the butter and add the flour. Heat over medium heat for a couple of minutes, whisking constantly. Be careful not to let the flour brown. Pour in the milk, add the mustard, and stir until smooth. Cook until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low.
4. Take 1/4 cup of the sauce and slowly pour it into the beaten egg, whisking constantly to prevent the egg from cooking. Whisk until smooth. Then pour everything back into the saucepan, whisking constantly. Stir until smooth.
5. Add the cheese and stir until melted. Add 0.5 teaspoon salt, 0.5 teaspoon seasoning salt, and black pepper to taste. Add any additional spices you like. Taste the sauce and adjust the salt if needed. The sauce should be well-salted!
6. Stir in the cooked pasta, distributing it evenly in the sauce. Serve immediately (while the sauce is still creamy) or transfer to a greased baking dish, sprinkle with grated cheese, and bake until bubbly and golden brown, 20-25 minutes.
7. Mac and Cheese Bar:
   
   In a skillet over medium heat, fry the bacon until lightly crisp, about 8 minutes. Remove and cut into bite-sized pieces.
   
   In a separate saucepan, cook the onion in the butter over low heat, stirring occasionally, until caramelized, 20 to 30 minutes.
8. Crumble the gorgonzola with a fork.
   
   Place bacon, caramelized onions, and crumbled Gorgonzola in separate bowls. Serve as a delicious topping for both rolls and mac and cheese.