Macaroni cheese. Mix up the cheese, but go heavy on a good mature cheddar!
- 20 g plain (all purpose) flour
- 20 g butter
- 450 ml full fat milk
- ¼ tsp mustard powder
- 200 g grated cheese I used approx. ½ mature cheddar, ¼ mozzarella, ¼ parmesan
- 100 g pasta
- Handful toasted breadcrumbs
- Salt
- Pepper I use white pepper
- Good grating of nutmeg
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Cook the pasta according to instructions, until al dente. Drain and leave to one side.
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Preheat oven to 200c.
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Put a large saucepan over a low heat and add the flour. Cook gently for approx. 1 minute. Add the butter and allow to melt- stirring.
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Turn to a medium heat. Add approx. 1/3 of the milk and the mustard powder, and keep stirring- working any lumps out as you go. You may find it useful to stir with a whisk, but if not a wooden spoon.
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Add another 1/3 of the milk and keep stirring. When it starts to thicken add the last of the milk and keep stirring until thick and smooth. If it is going too thick, add a splash more milk. Season with pepper, a pinch of salt and a grating of nutmeg.
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Once it is thick and smooth, season and turn the heat off. Slowly stir through the cheese and mix well. Add the cooked pasta and pour into an oven-proof dish.
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Sprinkle over a handful of breadcrumbs and cook for 20-30 minutes until the cheese is bubbling.
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Serve as a side or with some steamed broccoli. However you eat it, enjoy!
Full fat milk gives this sauce it's creaminess and thickness. I actually use jersey cream milk and it is just divine (FYI, put any leftover milk in your porridge!). I have tried to make white sauce and cheese sauce with skimmed milk and it really doesn't thicken as much or have the same richness.
Lancashire Mac & Cheese
If you want to make a creamier dish, without the traditional stringy 'pull', use equal parts creamy, tasty and crumbly Lancashire cheeses. They will melt into each other. You can, if you wish, grate a little Parmesan over the crumbs before you pop it in the oven.
For breadcrumbs, use home made from stale bread, panko breadcrumbs or even crumbed crackers.
This sauce would be just as good poured over par-boiled new potatoes and finished in the oven the same way.