Stuart Faber of Los Angeles, California, writes: "When I'm not in my law office, I fly my own plane and write for In Flight USA, a magazine for private pilots. One of my favorite things to do when landing someplace new is to find a restaurant and ask if I can work for free. I've found some of my best recipes this way. Usually the chefs will let me hang out for a few days and help, but some do look at me a little strangely."
A dressed-up version of a dinnertime classic.
Recipe information
Yield
Makes 8 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain.
Step 2
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in large pot over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and onion; sauté until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in flour, mustard, salt, and pepper; cook 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk. Cook until sauce is smooth and slightly thickened, whisking constantly, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Add cheese and parsley; stir until cheese melts. Mix in pasta.
Step 3
Sauté bacon in medium skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Mix half of bacon into pasta and transfer to prepared dish. Sprinkle with remaining bacon.
Step 4
Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in small saucepan over medium heat. Add breadcrumbs; sauté until beginning to brown, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle breadcrumbs over pasta. Bake until pasta is heated through and golden brown, about 20 minutes.
