Name: Kentucky Hot Brown Pasta
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 20 min
Yield: 4–6 servings
Cuisine: Southern
Ingredients: 6 tbsp. butter; 6 tbsp. flour; 4 cups whole milk; 2 cups heavy cream; 2 tsp. Kosher salt; ¼ tsp. nutmeg; ⅛ tsp. white pepper; 1 tsp. hot sauce; 4 cups Gruyère cheese, grated; 2 cups Parmigiano Reggiano or Parmesan cheese, grated; 1 lb. penne pasta, cooked al dente; 1 lb. cooked turkey breast, chopped; 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved; 4 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled; 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs; 3 tbsp. butter, melted; 1 tbsp. fresh parsley, finely chopped; 1 tsp. fresh thyme, finely chopped; ½ tsp. garlic powder; ½ cup. Parmesan, grated

Sherry Hurley-Magnuson, who owns Louisville, Kentucky’s Farm to Fork Catering, says this pasta includes all the key components of the classic Kentucky Hot Brown—turkey, bacon, tomato, creamy Mornay sauce—in a crowd-friendly batch. In addition, this variation swaps out Pecorino Romano for rich Gruyère and Parmigiano Reggiano. “I like the nutty flavor,” Hurley-Magnuson says, “and I think it’s more bold.”

For the hot brown pasta

6 tbsp. butter
6 tbsp. flour
4 cups whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
2 tsp. Kosher salt
¼ tsp. nutmeg
⅛ tsp. white pepper
1 tsp. hot sauce
4 cups Gruyère cheese, grated
2 cups Parmigiano Reggiano or Parmesan cheese, grated
1 lb. penne pasta, cooked al dente
1 lb. cooked turkey breast, chopped
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
4 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled

Preparation

Make the breadcrumb topping (if using): In a small bowl, combine the ingredients. Stir until the crumbs are evenly moistened. Set aside.

Make the pasta: Preheat oven to 400°F. In a Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Once butter foams, whisk in the flour to create a roux. Cook for 1–2 minutes, whisking constantly. You want it to smell slightly nutty but stay pale.

Slowly stream in the whole milk and heavy cream, whisking vigorously to prevent lumps. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Add the salt, nutmeg, white pepper, and hot sauce. Stir in Gruyère and 2 cups of Parmesan, 1 cup at a time, until melted. (This is the Mornay sauce.)

Add cooked pasta and turkey to Mornay sauce and toss until thoroughly coated. Stir in tomatoes. Pour mixture into a 9×13 baking dish. Top with crumbled bacon and remaining half-cup of Parmesan. If adding optional breadcrumb topping, sprinkle on top of Parmesan.

Bake for 15–20 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling and the top is starting to brown. Let pasta rest 5–10 minutes before serving.