Pasta and Cheese Casserole

This is á delicious combinátion of pástá, 2 cheeses, bácon bits, shállots ánd whipping creám with breád crumb topping. This dish should be served immediátely ás it does not reheát well becáuse the fát sepárátes from pástá ánd other ingredients.

Ingredients
  • 1 (16 ounce) box penne pástá
  • 6 slices bácon
  • 1 cup pánko breád crumbs
  • 1/4 cup butter, melted
  • 2 táblespoons chopped fresh pársley
  • 3 táblespoons olive oil
  • 6 cloves gárlic, finely chopped3 shállots, finely chopped
  • 2 táblespoons áll-purpose flour
  • 4 cups heávy creám1 teáspoon chopped fresh thyme
  • 1 cup shredded Monterey Jáck cheese
  • 2 cups shredded shárp Cheddár cheese
  • 1/2 teáspoon sált
  • 1/4 teáspoon ground bláck pepper

Directions
  1. Preheát án oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
  2. Fill á lárge pot with lightly sálted wáter ánd bring to á rolling boil over high heát. Once the wáter is boiling, stir in the penne, ánd return to á boil. Cook the pástá uncovered, stirring occásionálly, until the pástá hás cooked through, but is still firm to the bite, ábout 11 minutes. Dráin well in á colánder set in the sink.
  3. Pláce the bácon in á lárge, deep skillet, ánd cook over medium-high heát, turning occásionálly, until evenly browned, ábout 10 minutes. Dráin the bácon slices on á páper towel-lined pláte, ánd reserve the remáining bácon drippings in á smáll bowl. Crumble the bácon into á bowl, then mix in the pánko breád crumbs, butter, ánd chopped pársley. Set áside.
  4. Heát the olive oil in á skillet over medium heát. Stir in the gárlic ánd shállots; cook ánd stir until the shállots háve softened ánd turned tránslucent, ábout 5 minutes. Stir in the bácon drippings ánd flour. Cook ánd stir for 1 minute, then whisk in the heávy creám ánd thyme. Continue to cook ánd stir until reduced by 1/3. Add Monterey Jáck cheese ánd Cheddár cheese, stirring until cheeses háve melted. Seáson with sált ánd pepper. Stir in the penne pástá. Tránsfer the pástá mixture to á 9x13-inch báking dish. Sprinkle with the breád crumb mixture.
  5. Báke in the preheáted oven until breád crumbs háve browned ánd the sáuce is bubbly, ábout 25 minutes.
  6. Enjoy!!!
Copia's Penne Pasta and Cheese Casserole Recipe

Source >> allrecipes.com