Penne Pasta and Cheese Casserole

Penne Pasta and Cheese Casserole

Ingredients

1 (16 ounce) box penne pasta
6 slices bacon
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
3 tablespoons olive oil
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 shallots, finely chopped
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, stir in the penne, and return to a boil. Cook the pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta has cooked through, but is still firm to the bite, about 11 minutes. Drain well in a colander set in the sink.
Place the bacon in a large, deep skillet, and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain the bacon slices on a paper towel-lined plate, and reserve the remaining bacon drippings in a small bowl. Crumble the bacon into a bowl, then mix in the panko bread crumbs, butter, and chopped parsley. Set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the garlic and shallots; cook and stir until the shallots have softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the bacon drippings and flour. Cook and stir for 1 minute, then whisk in the heavy cream and thyme. Continue to cook and stir until reduced by 1/3. Add Monterey Jack cheese and Cheddar cheese, stirring until cheeses have melted. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the penne pasta. Transfer the pasta mixture to a 9x13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with the bread crumb mixture.
Bake in the preheated oven until bread crumbs have browned and the sauce is bubbly, about 25 minutes.

Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving  Calories: 686 | Total Fat: 53.2g | Cholesterol: 157mg