Bacon and Cheddar Macaroni & Cheese

Ingredients :

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for salting the pasta water
• 1 pound fusilli (corkscrew) or other pasta, preferably De Cecco
• 3/4 pound bacon, diced (about 1 cup cooked; Love Notes 1 and 2)
• 3 cups heavy cream
• 2 cups firmly packed shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (about 1⁄2 pound; Love Note 3)
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup sour cream, for garnish
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions, (white and green parts), for garnish

Directions :

1. Bring a medium (6- to 8-quart) pot of water to a boil. Salt it generously (it should taste like the sea). Stir in the pasta and cook according to the package directions. Drain (but don’t rinse, or you’ll rinse away starches that will help thicken the sauce) and return to the empty pot.