Creamy bacon mac and cheese

Woolworths is committed to sustainability via our good business journey. Seasonal (and other) products might not always be in stock.

“This is an essential recipe for your arsenal. It’s one of my go-to dishes when entertaining – who doesn’t love a plate of cheesy, bacony goodness? The smoky cheese sauce is also a natural choice for nachos, or even as a burger topping.” – Keletso Motau

Ingredients

500 g Woolworths conchiglioni pasta
400 g smoked pork rashers , diced
4 T water
2 T butter
3 cloves garlic, crushed
3 sprigs, thyme
1 T flour
1 cup cream
1⁄2 cup milk
1 t smoked paprika
1⁄4 t ground nutmeg
1 t Dijon mustard
60 g mature Cheddar, grated
60 g mozzarella, grated
60 g smoked Stanford cheese, grated
100 g breadcrumbs
2 T olive oil
10 g Italian parsley

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Cook the pasta according to package instructions, then drain and set aside.

2. Place the pork rashers in a cold pan with the water and cook until the fat has rendered and the pork is golden brown. Remove from the pan and set aside.

3. Using the same pan, fry the butter, garlic and thyme until fragrant. Add the flour and cook for a further 30 seconds.

4. Stir in the cream and milk, followed by the spices and mustard, stirring continuously. Bring to a gentle simmer.

5. Remove the cream from the heat and fold in the grated cheese until melted. Mix the pork and pasta into the cheese sauce.

6. Mix the breadcrumbs with the olive oil and parsley in a small bowl.

7. Transfer the pasta to a baking dish. Top with the breadcrumbs and bake for 20 minutes, or until golden and bubbling.

Find more pasta recipes here.

Photographs: Myburgh Du Plessis  
Production: Keletso Motau
Food assistants: Lerato Motau And Ivan Masiyazi