

Add chopped bacon and parsley, season with salt and pepper and toss to combine. When the butter is melted and foamy, add crushed Ritz crackers and panko bread crumbs to the pan, toast lightly until most of the fat in the pan is absorbed. While the butter is melting, coarsely chop your bacon. Melt 1 tbsp of butter in the skillet with the bacon fat until the butter starts to foam. When the bacon is browned, remove bacon from the pan and let drain on a paper towel. Remove the leaves of parsley from the stem and finely chop the leaves, set aside. When you’re satisfied with your varying sizes of crumb, you may stop hitting the crackers with the rolling pin. Pound the crackers repeatedly with a rolling pin- you’re going to want larger shards and smaller bits and bobs for a mix of textures. Meanwhile, put your Ritz crackers in a zip top bag. Warm the skillet over medium-high heat, occasionally flipping until bacon is browned and most of the fat is rendered.

Place strips of bacon in a small, cold, nonstick skillet. Grate all of your cheese, except the parmigiano, using the large holes on a box grater (this is a lot of work and you want to do this early, do NOT use pre-grated cheese because there are anti-caking agents that will mess up your sauce). Sprinkle topping evenly over the macaroni and bake on middle rack for 20 to 25 minutes, or until light golden brown and bubbling.9 Ritz crackers (or similarly buttery cracker)Ĥ-5 fronds (stalks? Stems with leaves?) of parsleyĨ oz of dried elbow macaroni noodles (I like Barilla, they have lots of nice edges and ridges).Transfer macaroni mixture to baking dish.(The sauce does stick a bit to the wax paper when removed) Return the macaroni to the pot (off the burner) and mix together the macaroni, reserved cooking water, and the sauce.Cook macaroni in boiling water, al dente.Remove pan from heat and cover surface of sauce with wax paper.Stir in the cream, the 4 cups of cheddar, mustard, salt, and pepper.Simmer, whisking occasionally, for about 3 minutes or so.Bring sauce to a boil, whisking constantly.Stir about 3 minutes and whisk in milk.The yummy sauce: In a 5-quart heavy saucepan melt 3 T butter over med low heat.This can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. In a bowl stir melted butter together with crushed Ritz and 1 cup cheddar until well combined.The yummy topping: Melt 2 T unsalted butter.Bring a pot of salted water (Who wants bland pasta?) to boil for the macaroni.
