Every week on LittleThings’ Facebook Live show Slice, we challenge food experts to create a delicious and easy-to-make dinner in less than 20 minutes. In this week's special Bacon Challenge episode, Chef Franco Robazetti, Executive Chef of Surf City and Zeppelin Hall, is in the LittleThings kitchen to share creative recipes that are guaranteed to be the hit of any Fourth of July barbecue.
Each of the recipes that he whips up will have one classic ingredient in common: bacon. Everyone loves bacon, but not many people know how many different meals you can make involving the deliciously greasy snack.
Food has been an influential part of Chef Franco's culture since he was a kid, thanks to his Italian and Spanish heritage. He transformed this passion into a career when he decided to be a chef at the age of 20. Today, he is straying from his roots to take on the quintessential American comfort food in honor of Independence Day.
To start us off, Chef Franco reinterprets a go-to festive finger food, sliders, by swapping burgers for bacon. Sliders are the perfect addition to any outdoor party because they are easy to eat, and kids are sure to love them.
Bacon can also be used to elevate mac and cheese to a whole new level of decadence. The crispy bacon chunks balance out the creamy richness of the cheese sauce for an irresistibly savory treat.
Finally, Chef Franco shows us how to craft a mouthwatering bacon cheesesteak. After he completes all three recipes, our guest judge. Dina Delesea of E!'s Married to Jonas, will decide which bacon dish reigns supreme.
Find the full bacon mac and cheese recipe below, and be sure to check out Franco Robazetti on Instagram and Facebook.
Bacon Mac and Cheese
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Preparation Time: 0 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- orecchiette pasta
- heavy cream
- Parmesan cheese
- sprig of thyme
- sharp cheddar cheese
- shredded white cheddar cheese
- slices of bacon
Instructions
- Cook the pasta al dente.
- Cook bacon and cut into chunks according to your preference.
- In a sauté pan, add heavy cream and bring to a simmer.
- Add thyme, parmesan cheese, and cheddar cheese.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the cooked pasta and bacon.
