I’m someone who supports variation… so don’t be surprised if you see 19 different versions of the same recipe. Like, for instance. I have maybe five kinds of mac and cheese that I make on different occasions, or for different reasons. And because I’m not a bacon lover… clearrrrrly this recipe isn’t for me. However… I do love to make it!

Salt

2 1/2 cups milk (Mark says low-fat is fine)

2 bay leaves

16oz elbow, shell, ziti, or other cut pasta

4 tablespoons (1/2stick) butter

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 1/2cups grated cheese, like sharp cheddar or Emmental

1 /2cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Freshly ground black pepper

1 /2cup or more bread crumbs, preferably fresh

1/3 cup turkey bacon, half-cooked and diced

Heat the oven to 400°F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it.

Heat the milk with the bay leaves in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. When small bubbles appear along the sides, about 5 minutes later, turn off the heat and let stand. Cook the pasta in the boiling water to the point where you would still think it needed another minute or two to become tender. Drain it, rinse it quickly to stop the cooking, and put it in a large bowl.

In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter; when it is foamy, add the flour and cook, stirring, until the mixture browns, about 5 minutes. Remove the bay leaves from the milk and add about 1/4cup of the milk to the hot flour mixture, stirring with a wire whisk all the while. As soon as the mixture becomes smooth, add a little more milk, and continue to do so until all the milk is used up and the mixture is thick and smooth. Add the cheddar or Emmental and stir.

Pour the sauce over the pasta, toss in the Parmesan and bacon, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Use the remaining 1 tablespoon butter to grease a 9 ×13-inch or like-size baking pan and turn the pasta mixture into it. (You can make the dish to this point, cover, and refrigerate for up to a day; return to room temperature before proceeding.) Top liberally with bread crumbs and bake until bubbling and the crumbs turn brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve piping hot.

(humbly – and greedily – modified from Mark Bittman’s recipe)