Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter or pam a 13x9x2 inch baking dish. Cook macaroni in a large pot of boiling salted water until just tender. Drain, rinse and drain again. Cook bacon in a large heavy pot over medium heat until crisp. Transfer bacon and 1/4 cup drippings to a large bowl. Add breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup parmesan and 1/4 cup parsley and toss to coat. Add minced garlic to remaining pan drippings and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add flour and whisk 3 minutes. Gradually whisk in the milk, then egg yolks, salt and pepper. Cook until mixture thickens, whisking constantly about 12 minutes. Add 2 cups fontina cheese and remaining 3/4 cup parmesan and whisk until cheese melts. Remove from heat and mix in the peas, macaroni and remaining parsley and fontina. Transfer macaroni mixture to the prepared dish. (Can be prepared 6 hours ahead. Cover macaroni and breadcrumb mixtures separately and refrigerate. Before continuing, bake macaroni mixture, covered at 350°F until just heated through, about 30 minutes.) Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture over the macaroni mixture and bake until topping is golden, about 15 minutes. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.







NOTES : Mac & cheese has been re-discovered in 1999 as the comfort food it's always been. After searching high and low for the ultimate mac & cheese dish this is the best one i've found yet. It retains all of the qualities of a traditional mac & cheese dish with the added zing of fontina and bacon (hence the carbonara). I've left out the peas when preparing it for guests who dislike them and it's still marvelous.





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Yields: 10 Servings
    

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