'Saturday Night, Sunday Morning' Mac 'N' Cheese Recipe

4 from 2 ratings

Chef Joel Christy of PL8 Kitchen & Side Bar in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., created this hearty mac ‘n’ cheese specifically for the morning-after brunch crowd. Fort Lauderdale’s reputation as a spring-break destination is renowned, so leave it to the locals to fix up a can’t-fail hangover cure. It’s also a great way to use up leftover baked potato. Click here to see a recipe for béchamel sauce. Click here to see the Chefs' Favorite Hangover Cures story.

Servings

servings

Ingredients

salt, for cooking pasta
5 ounce ditalini
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon butter
2 ounce bacon, diced
2 ounce baked potato, diced
2 ounce heavy cream
4 ounce béchamel sauce
2 ounce smoked gouda
1 ounce cheddar
1 large egg
1 tablespoon breadcrumbs, toasted
1 teaspoon maple syrup

Directions

Bring a pot of salted water to boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the butter in a sauté pan over medium heat until the foam subsides. Add the bacon and cook until it starts to brown, about 3-5 minutes. Add the potato and toss to warm, about 1 minute.
Add the heavy cream and béchamel sauce. Bring to a simmer and add the cheeses and pasta. Toss to incorporate and remove from heat. In another nonstick pan, heat the remaining butter over medium heat until the foam subsides.
Reduce heat to low, and break open the egg into the pan. Cook over easy: Tilt the pan upward so that the egg collects on the far edge of the pan. Cook for about 30 seconds. Lower the pan and shake it to make sure the eggs do not stick. Continue cooking until the whites turn opaque, then flip the egg gently and remove from heat.
Pour the mac ‘n’ cheese into a bowl and top with the egg, toasted breadcrumbs, and maple syrup.