Breakfast Mac and Cheese with Baked Eggs

• Meat

  • 4 strips Bacon, thick cut

• Produce

  • 1 tsp Basil, dried
  • 1 Large handful Grape tomatoes

• Condiments

  • 1 tsp Mustard, ground

• Pasta & Grains

  • 8 oz Cavatappi or elbow macaroni

• Baking & Spices

  • 2 tbsp All-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp Cayenne
  • 1 tsp Salt & pepper

• Oils & Vinegars

  • 1/2 tbsp Olive oil, Extra Virgin

• Bread & Baked Goods

  • 3 tbsp Panko breadcrumbs

• Dairy

  • 3 tbsp Butter
  • 16 oz Cheddar cheese, sharp
  • 4 oz Pecorino or parmesan, grated
  • 1 cup Whole milk

Found on moderateindulgence.com

Description

Ingredients

• 8 oz. of cavatappi or elbow macaroni (1/2 a standard box - double the rest of the recipe if using the entire box)
• 16 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 4 oz. grated Pecorino or Parmesan
• 4 strips thick cut bacon
• Large handful of grape tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• 1 cup whole milk, heated
• 3 tbsp. butter, divided
• 2 tbsp. all purpose flour
• 1 tsp. ground mustard
• 1 tsp. cayenne
• 1 tsp. each salt & pepper, more to taste
• 3 tbsp. panko breadcrumbs

Directions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
• Cut the grape tomatoes in half and toss with 1/2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, 1 tsp. dried basil, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Spread in a roasting pan and bake for 30 min. Set aside.
• While tomatoes are roasting, line a baking tray with foil and lay a metal rack over the foil. Lay the strips of bacon across the rack and bake until bacon is golden-brown and crispy, about 15-20 min. (can bake at same time as tomatoes) Remove from oven and lay on a paper towel-lined plate to drain the excess grease. Then chop the bacon into small pieces and set aside.
• Meanwhile, fill a pot of water about halfway and bring to a vigorous boil. Add the pasta and cook to al dente (about 2 minutes less than package cooking instructions). Drain and set aside.
• Heat 1 cup whole milk until hot but not boiling, about 2 minutes in the microwave.
• Melt 2 tbsp. butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, then gradually whisk in 2 tbsp. flour, continuing to cook and whisk until golden brown, about 4 minutes.
• Slowly pour in the hot milk, whisking constantly, until you have a creamy bechamel sauce. Season with ground mustard, cayenne, salt and pepper.
• Reserve a large handful of cheddar cheese. Add the remaining cheddar cheese to the bechamel sauce and stir until fully melted into a creamy cheese sauce.
• Add the cooked pasta back into the pot, then pour the cheese sauce and stir until pasta is fully coated. Add 3 strips worth of chopped bacon and the roasted tomatoes and stir until just combined.
• Transfer mac and cheese to a cast iron skillet or baking pan. Top with remaining cheddar cheese.
• Melt remaining 1 tbsp. butter and toss panko breadcrumbs in butter to coat. Sprinkle breadcrumbs and remaining chopped bacon evenly on top of mac and cheese. Bake for 7 minutes.
• While mac and cheese is baking, separate your egg whites and egg yolks, keeping the egg yolks in a large bowl or plate so they dont touch (I like to use a plastic bottle for this. If you dont care about runny egg yolks, you can skip this step).
• Remove mac and cheese from oven and use a large spoon to make 4 wells in the mac and cheese. Fill each well with an even amount of egg white. Bake for an additional 8 minutes (if you skipped separating your egg yolks, bake for 13 minutes). Remove from oven and carefully add an egg yolk into each well (again, use a plastic bottle to make this easy). Bake for an additional 3-5 minutes so crust is crispy, egg whites and set, and egg yolks are still runny.
• Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!