Ultimate macaroni cheese

You can never have too many main course recipes, so give Ultimate macaroni cheese a try. This recipe serves 4 and costs $2.02 per serving. One serving contains 829 calories, 37g of protein, and 39g of fat. If you have parmesan, cheddar, dijon mustard, and a few other ingredients on hand, you can make it. Plenty of people made this recipe, and 287 would say it hit the spot. From preparation to the plate, this recipe takes approximately 1 hour and 10 minutes. It is brought to you by BBC Good Food. Taking all factors into account, this recipe earns a spoonacular score of 88%, which is excellent. Try Ultimate Macaroni & Cheese, Ultimate Macaroni and Cheese, and The Ultimate Macaroni and Cheese For Grownups for similar recipes.

Servings: 4

 

Ingredients:

Equipment:

Cooking instruction summary:

Making macaroni cheese is a bit of a juggling act, so its easier if you get a few things prepared ahead. Finely grate all the cheeses, keeping them separate. Tear the bread into pieces and whizz in a food processor to coarse crumbs. Mix 25g of the cheddar and one-third of the Parmesan into the breadcrumbs. Toss the rest of the cheeses together and set aside. Thickly slice the tomatoes. Butter a dish, about 30 x 20 x 5.5cm. Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5.Put a pan of water on to boil. Tip the macaroni into the boiling water, stir and bring it back to the boil. Simmer for 8 mins, or cook according to pack instructions, stirring occasionally to stop it sticking. While this is cooking, start the sauce.Warm the milk in a jug in the microwave (or in a pan). Melt the butter in a pan (big enough to take the macaroni as well), then stir in the flour. Cook for 1 min, stirring, then take off the heat. Pour in one-third of the warm milk and beat well with a wooden spoon until smooth it is quite thick at this stage. Add another third it may go a bit lumpy, but keep beating well and it will go smooth again. Pour in the final third of milk and keep beating until smooth.When the macaroni is done, tip it into a colander and put it briefly under very hot running water to keep it separate. Drain. Put the pan of sauce back on the heat and cook, stirring, until thickened and smooth. Lower the heat and simmer for about 4 mins until glossy, stirringevery now and then. Remove from the heatand stir in the cheese and mustard, then beatin 5 tbsp milk, or enough to give a slack coating consistency. Taste and season (you shouldnt need much salt). If the macaroniis sticking at all, put it under the hot tap again,then stir to separate. Drain well, then gently mixit into the sauce and stir to coat completely. If necessary, adjust the consistency again withmilk. There should be enough sauce to coatthe macaroni thickly and liberally.Tip the macaroni cheese into the buttereddish, scatter over the cheesy crumbs and laythe tomatoes casually over the top.Heat through in the oven for 12-15 mins until beginning to bubble around the edges. Grill for3-5 mins to brown the crumbs. Let it all settlefor 1-2 mins, then serve while still piping hot.

 

Step by step:

1. Making macaroni cheese is a bit of a juggling act, so its easier if you get a few things prepared ahead. Finely grate all the cheeses, keeping them separate. Tear the bread into pieces and whizz in a food processor to coarse crumbs.

2. Mix 25g of the cheddar and one-third of the Parmesan into the breadcrumbs. Toss the rest of the cheeses together and set aside. Thickly slice the tomatoes. Butter a dish, about 30 x 20 x 5.5cm.

3. Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5.Put a pan of water on to boil. Tip the macaroni into the boiling water, stir and bring it back to the boil. Simmer for 8 mins, or cook according to pack instructions, stirring occasionally to stop it sticking. While this is cooking, start the sauce.Warm the milk in a jug in the microwave (or in a pan). Melt the butter in a pan (big enough to take the macaroni as well), then stir in the flour. Cook for 1 min, stirring, then take off the heat.

4. Pour in one-third of the warm milk and beat well with a wooden spoon until smooth it is quite thick at this stage.

5. Add another third it may go a bit lumpy, but keep beating well and it will go smooth again.

6. Pour in the final third of milk and keep beating until smooth.When the macaroni is done, tip it into a colander and put it briefly under very hot running water to keep it separate.

7. Drain.

8. Put the pan of sauce back on the heat and cook, stirring, until thickened and smooth. Lower the heat and simmer for about 4 mins until glossy, stirringevery now and then.

9. Remove from the heatand stir in the cheese and mustard, then beatin 5 tbsp milk, or enough to give a slack coating consistency. Taste and season (you shouldnt need much salt). If the macaroniis sticking at all, put it under the hot tap again,then stir to separate.

10. Drain well, then gently mixit into the sauce and stir to coat completely. If necessary, adjust the consistency again withmilk. There should be enough sauce to coatthe macaroni thickly and liberally.Tip the macaroni cheese into the buttereddish, scatter over the cheesy crumbs and laythe tomatoes casually over the top.

11. Heat through in the oven for 12-15 mins until beginning to bubble around the edges. Grill for3-5 mins to brown the crumbs.

12. Let it all settlefor 1-2 mins, then serve while still piping hot.

Nutrition Information:

covered percent of daily need