BAKED MACARONI & CHEESE

on our NYC FOODAPOLOOZA, one of our stops was dumont burger, where we went specifically for the mac & cheese. this little brooklyn joint had one of the best offerings of mac & cheese i'd ever had (the best still belongs to home). so, what does that lead me to do? search online for a recipe worthy of thanksgiving. i looked up "dumont burger macaroni & cheese recipe" and was directed to a food blog that attempted to recreate this signature dish. so, how'd it measure up? we all agreed that it was good, but i knew it wasn't quite dumont-approved. but, give it a go...it's still delicious!

BAKED MACARONI & CHEESE
posted on grace notes nyc by grace g. yang on november 20, 2009

• 16oz elbow macaroni (i used rotini, i've always liked how it holds the cheese)
• 4c small curd cottage cheese (two 16oz tubs)
• 2c sour cream
• 16oz block sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 handful of trader joe's quattro formaggio (blend of asiago, provolone, & parmesan)
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 16oz block asiago cheese
• 12oz thick-cut bacon

preheat oven to 350°F. shred the sharp cheddar cheese and set aside. 

cut up bacon strips and fry. do not over crisp them. once cooked, drain on a paper towel and set aside.

boil water and cook pasta as directed.

meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix cottage cheese, sour cream, cheddar, and trader joe's cheese blend. mix in eggs and bacon. set aside.

drain and run cold water over cooked pasta to keep it al dente. add pasta to the cheese mixture.

spread mac & cheese mix into a buttered 9x13 inch casserole dish. bake in the oven for 40 mins.

meanwhile, shred asiago cheese. once baking time is over, remove mac & cheese from oven. top with shredded asiago and place back into oven on low broil until it forms a nice crust, about 10 mins.