How to make macaroni and cheese – recipe | Pasta
BBefore there was mac and cheese, voluptuous and gooey and browned with bacon, lobster and/or truffle, there was plain old ‘mac and cheese’, enjoyed in the UK since at least the 14th century.
19th- and 20th-century versions tend toward sweet and creamy, and it’s perfect comfort food…although, of course, there’s nothing stopping you from upping the cheese, if that’s your particular idea of comfort.
Preparation 10 minutes
Cook 15 mins
Serves 4
Salt and black pepper
400 g of macaroni
70g butterplus a little extra for lubrication
50g plain flour
900 ml whole milk
A grate of nutmeg
1 teaspoon powdered English mustard
120 g mature cheddar
2 slices of white breadcrumbled or 4 tablespoons panko breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons grated parmesanor vegetarian alternative
4 medium tomatoes
1 Pre-cook the pasta
Bring a large pot of well-salted water to the boil, then simmer the macaroni (or any other form of pasta) until almost cooked to your liking. The exact time will depend on both the pasta and its softness, but as a guide, take about two minutes less than the packet instructions say. Drain, then rinse with cold water to remove some of the surface starch.
2 Start the base sauce
While cooking, melt 60g of butter over medium heat in a saucepan large enough to hold all the milk and pasta, then stir in the flour to make a smooth paste. (You can use corn flour instead, if you prefer, which is also helpful in making this dish gluten-free if you use the correct pasta and breadcrumbs.)
3 Add the milk
Cook, stirring continuously, for a few minutes, until the flour loses its raw smell, then gradually incorporate the milk little by little so you don’t end up with lumps. Once everything is incorporated, bring to the boil and cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens.
4 Finish the sauce
Remove from the heat and add a good grating of nutmeg and the mustard powder. Alternatives include smoked, sweet or hot paprika, cayenne pepper, dried thyme, black pepper, mustard seeds or black onion (or whole grain mustard), Korean gochujang or other sauces or spicy pasta, Worcestershire sauce. As long as it goes with cheese, it’s worth a try.
5 A note on cheese
Grate the cheese. I find cheddar hard to beat here, but feel free to play around, but keep in mind that the drier the cheese, the more it tends to split when heated, which is why mozzarella, Gruyère and Roquefort melt better than older cheeses. Ideally, also avoid pre-grated cheeses, as they contain anti-caking agents that interfere with the melting process.
6 Melt the cheese in the sauce
Add the cheese to the sauce and taste. Depending on the strength of the cheese you choose, you may want to add more than the amount of cheddar I’ve listed here. This is also the point to add extras, like caramelized onions, cooked bacon, blanched and well-dried greens, etc. – however, avoid anything that could make the sauce watery.
7 Incorporate the pasta
Once the sauce is seasoned to your satisfaction, stir in the drained pasta to coat. Butter a medium-sized baking dish, then pour in the pasta mixture and level it so that it evenly fills the dish. If you plan to serve immediately, cut the tomatoes in half on the side, arrange them on top cut side up, then season and dot everything with a little butter.
8 Garnish with tomatoes and grill
Turn the grill on to medium heat, then grill the macaroni and cheese for about 10 minutes, until the tomatoes are cooked. Meanwhile, melt the remaining butter in a small saucepan, add the breadcrumbs, toss to coat, stir in the Parmesan and season.
Once the macaroni and cheese has done its 10 minutes, spread the breadcrumb mixture on top and grill again until golden brown.
9 And to prepare in advance…
If you are making this in advance, prepare it by adding the pasta mixture to the buttered dish, but ideally keep the pasta slightly more al dente than here, and the sauce a little thinner, and allow the sauce to cool before serving. mix. with the pasta. Garnish with tomatoes, cover with foil and bake at 200°C (fan 180°C)/450F/gas 54 for 30 minutes. Uncover, add the breadcrumbs and cook until golden brown.
