Best-ever macaroni cheese
Best-ever macaroni cheese
Use up the remnants of a French stick to make a crunchy topping for this family favourite
- Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 40 mins - Serves 4
- Easy
Ingredients
- 50g baguette, cut into small chunks
- 2 tbsp butter, plus 1 tbsp melted
- 350g spiral or other short pasta
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 1 tsp English mustard powder
- 3 tbsp plain flour
- 500ml whole milk
- 250g mature cheddar, grated
- 50g parmesan (or vegetarian alternative), grated
Use up blue cheese
Crumble 50g Stilton, Dolcelatte or Roquefort into
the sauce, instead of the Parmesan. Spoon the
pasta into the dish, then top with 4 trimmed field
mushrooms, gills facing upwards, instead of the
crumbs. Drizzle with a little oil, season, then top
with a little more blue cheese. Bake as before.
Method
-
Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Spread the chunks of bread over a baking sheet, drizzle with the melted butter and season. Bake for 6 mins until crisp, then set aside.
-
Boil the pasta for 2 mins less than stated on the pack. Meanwhile, melt the remaining butter in a saucepan. Add the garlic and mustard, cook for 1 min, then stir in the flour. Cook for 1 min more, then gradually whisk in the milk until you have a lump-free sauce. Simmer for 5 mins, whisking constantly until thickened. Take off the heat, then stir in all the cheddar and half the Parmesan.
-
Stir the pasta and some seasoning into the cheesy sauce, then tip into a large ovenproof dish, or 4 individual dishes. Scatter over the bread and remaining Parmesan, then bake for 20 mins until crisp and golden. Can be frozen before baking – defrost thoroughly before cooking.
from 999999999999 http://ift.tt/1FzzUWZ
