Macaroni Cheese.
You say Smile I say Cheese.
pop quiz: the lyric above is from what song and artist? clue: perhaps the lady with the crown can do La Tour de France.
Traditionally making macaroni cheese sauce is a complete faff, making a roux, cooking out the flour, turning it into a white sauce before adding cheese; who’s got time for all that?
Last month we cooked Kasespatzle, an Austrian version, where the ‘pasta’ is the bit that’s a complete faff!
In this American inspired twist on the traditional recipe for macaroni cheese, all you need to do is choose a mix of cheeses that melt easily, don’t go too stringy and taste deliciously artery blocking.
Macaroni Cheese Ingredients.
- 250g Macaroni.
- 1 Red Onion, thinly sliced.
- 200g Soft Cheese with good flavour; Gorgonzola, Port Salut, Camembert or, made famous by Wallace and Grommit, Stinking Bishop – or a mixture; chopped.
- 4 tblsp Philly Cheese or Mascarpone.
- 4 tblsp Creme Fraiche.
- Handful fresh Breadcrumbs.
- Freshly grated Parmesan.
- S&P.
How to Make Macaroni Cheese.
- Cook the pasta with the onion in salted water; slightly under rather than over, usually about 10mins.
- Drain, but keep the water.
- Put the cheese, philly and crème fraiche in a saucepan.
- Add about 100ml of the pasta water.
- Warm over a gentle heat, stirring.
- Once the cheese has mostly melted, throw in the pasta; keep stirring.
- Add more cooking water to get a good, creamy consistency.
- Keep the heat gentle, do not boil.
- Season to taste.
- Mix breadcrumbs with parmesan, sprinkle this on pasta/cheese.
- Brown under grill; if your saucepan doesn’t have a metal handle, transfer mixture to a oven-proof dish before grilling.
