Mac and Cheese

This mac and cheese recipe can really easily be adapted to add your own favourite ingredients, which I’ve given options for in the ingredients. Mix it up to include things you love, or simple ingredients you have at home.

I’ve been making variations of macaroni cheese for years now, trialling different methods and variations of ingredients, but this is the winner for me. My favourite is using truffle oil, pancetta, porcini mushrooms and topping with coppa; it combines all of my favourites. I’m also a sucker for cauliflower cheese so sometimes I like to add this in too.

Make it your own Mac and Cheese

Prep time: 20 minutes | Cook time: 10-15 minutes | Serves: 3 - 4 | Nutrition: 629 calorioes per portion (based on 4 servings)

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Ingredients

For the cheese sauce

• 1tbsp truffle oil or other flavoured oil (optional)
• 50g butter
• 50g flour
• 500ml milk
• 100g cheddar, grated
• Salt and pepper

For the pasta

• 250g macaroni or other short pasta

Optional ingredients

• 70g diced pancetta
• 100g mushrooms or 15g porcini mushrooms (soaked)
• Broccoli / Cauliflower / Spinach /

For finishing

• 25g breadcrumbs
• Coppa slices (optional) for finishing
• Parmesan for grating
• Fresh herbs like rosemary or thyme

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees.

2. In an oven dish approx 15cm x 25cm, spread out the pancetta and allow to cook in the oven for five minutes. If you are adding fresh mushrooms, once some of the fat has started to come out, add the mushroom and give a stir in the juice and return to the oven for another 10 minutes while the pancetta continues to cook. Once the pancetta is browning remove from the oven.

3. While that is cooking, bring a large pan of water to the boil. Salt the water and add your pasta. If you’re adding cauliflower of broccoli, add small florets to the pasta water and cook all together. If you’re using fresh spinach, steam this over the pasta at the same time.

4. While the pasta is cooking, on a low heat melt the butter, add the truffle oil and then add the flour and quickly whisk to make a roux. It will turn into a buttery brown paste. Add half of the cold milk and whisk together and increase the heat a little. Keep adding a little milk and gently whisking, to allow the sauce to thicken. As it thickens, add the cheese and continue to stir until a consistency of double cream. Season with salt and pepper.

5. When the pasta is al dente, drain the pasta (and any cauliflower/broccoli), try to reserve a little pasta water so you can easily move around the dish with the pancetta to combine.

6. If you have added cauliflower I recommend returning to the pasta pan first and mashing lightly with a masher before adding to the baking dish.

7. Add the pasta to the baking dish. If you’re using steamed spinach or porcini mushrooms, add these now.

8. Then pour over the cheese sauce and combine together.

9. Top with breadcrumbs, and I like to top with some coppa that will crisp up in the oven. Finally finish with a grating of parmesan and some fresh herbs.

10. Put into the oven for 10-15 minutes until browning on top, you can always increase the heat to 200 degrees for the last 5 minutes.

11. Serve with a simple side salad.