1 12 oz package Bionaturae gluten-free penne (or your favorite), cooked al dente
⅓ cup Aleia's gluten-free panko
3 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled (reserve fat in pan)
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp King Arthur gluten-free flour blend
2 cups warm 2% milk
½ small yellow onion
3 cloves
¼ tsp ground mustard
⅛ tsp nutmeg
⅛ tsp paprika
¾ tsp salt, or more to taste
fresh ground pepper
8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded and separated (2/3 for sauce and ⅓ for topping)
Instructions
Heat oven to 375 degrees and grease muffin pan well with cooking spray
While cooking pasta you can make the cheese sauce by whisking the butter and flour together over medium low heat until well blended and smooth, slowly add in warm milk while whisking continuously to avoid any lumps. This is a béchamel base sauce.
Spike the sides of the onion with the cloves and add it into the béchamel sauce. Then add in the mustard, nutmeg, paprika, salt and pepper and whisk. Bring to a boil and reduce to low heat for about 10 minutes, until slightly thickened.
While the sauce is thickening, toast the panko in the pan with the bacon fat over low heat until evenly coated (about 1-2 minutes)
Once the béchamel sauce has thickened, remove from the fire and whisk in shredded cheddar until melted and smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper, if need.
Toss the pasta in the sauce until well-coated
Sprinkle the muffin tray bottoms with some of the panko, and fill them with pasta
Toss the rest of the panko with the crumbled bacon and remaining cheddar and evenly distribute on each mini mac n' cheese
Place in the oven and bake for about 15 minutes or until tops are golden-brown
Remove tray and allow to cool for about 5 minutes before carefully removing each mini mac n' cheese and serve immediately
Recipe by Jackie Ourman at http://jackieourman.com/gluten-free-mini-mac-n-cheese-with-bacon/