As promised, I’ve got another great recipe that you can add to your Derby day menu. When I think of Kentucky and the Derby, the first things that come to mind are Mint Juleps and Hot Browns. I have to admit, these Mint Julep Brownies might be better than the drink itself. They are amazing!
And speaking of amazing, please tell me you’ve had a Kentucky Hot Brown! For those of you who are asking what in the world is a Hot Brown, it’s an open-faced sandwich that’s stacked with turkey and bacon and covered in a rich cheese sauce then baked until the bread is crisp and the sauce begins to brown. If you’ve never had one, you should! It’s a comfort food classic!
A Derby day would not be complete without a Hot Brown, but making individual sandwiches for a large crowd of horse racing fans sounded like too much work. Therefore, I decided to keep the same great flavors by combining them into an easy-to-serve casserole dish with this Kentucky Hot Brown Pasta Bake.
I replaced the bread with pasta, mixed it with a sharp cheese sauce, stirred in some chopped turkey and crumbled bacon then topped it all off with more bacon, sliced tomatoes and lots of Parmesan cheese. It tastes just like a good Hot Brown should, just in the form of a pasta bake. It’s easy to make, easy to serve, and easy to eat. Whether it’s just your family or a large group of friends, this Hot Brown Pasta Bake is sure to make your Derby day a success.
Here’s all you need…
Fry the bacon and let it drain on paper towels before crumbling it into bits. Set it aside.
Prepare the pasta, al dente, according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour, whisking constantly, until the flour starts to darken, about 2 minutes.
Reduce heat to low. Whisk in the milk and continue to whisk until mixture starts to thicken.
Stir in 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese.
Add the hot sauce, salt and pepper. Stir to combine and remove from heat.
Add the cooked pasta to the cheese sauce. Stir to coat completely.
Stir in the chopped turkey and half the crumbled bacon.
Pour mixture into a lightly greased 8-inch baking dish.
Top with remaining crumbled bacon, sliced tomatoes and remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cheese starts to brown on top. Let set for 5 minutes before serving.
Serve it up and watch it disappear faster than the horses can finish the race!
ENJOY!!!
~The BakerMama
HOT BROWN PASTA BAKE
Ingredients:
- 8 slices bacon
- 2-1/2 cups penne pasta, cooked al dente according to package directions
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 1/3 cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
- 3 cups milk
- 1-1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- 2-3 dashes hot sauce, if desired
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 cups chopped cooked turkey breast
- 2 small tomatoes, thinly sliced
Directions:
Preheat over to 400°F.
Fry bacon and let drain on paper towels before crumbling into bits. Set aside.
Prepare pasta, al dente, according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour, whisking constantly, until the flour starts to darken, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Whisk in milk and continue to whisk until mixture starts to thicken. Stir in 1 cup Parmesan cheese. Add hot sauce, salt and pepper. Stir to combine and remove from heat.
Add the cooked pasta to the cheese sauce. Stir to coat completely. Stir in the chopped turkey and half the crumbled bacon. Pour mixture into a lightly greased 8-inch baking dish. Top with remaining crumbled bacon, sliced tomatoes and remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cheese starts to brown on top. Let set for 5 minutes before serving.
Servings: 4-6
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Baking Time: 20-25 minutes
Total Time (start to finish): 55 minutes
