When it comes to recreating an online recipe, the results can be hit or miss – but this one was most definitely a hit. While the original BBC Good Food recipe calls for a baguette, I found it works just as well with toasted and buttered bread.
And even before needing to bake the “best ever” cheesy pasta inside the oven, the cheese sauce and pasta mixture made on the hob already tasted good. Taking about half an hour from start to finish, it’s an easy dish to cook and tastes like a traditional macaroni cheese. Here’s how to make the super simple mac and cheese recipe that is great for a lazy evening.
Mac and cheese
Ingredients
50g baguette, cut into small chunks
Two tablespoons of butter, plus one tablespoon melted
350g spiral pasta
One garlic clove, finely chopped
One teaspoon of English mustard powder
Three tablespoons of plain flour
500ml whole milk
250g mature cheddar, grated
50g parmesan
Method
Heat the oven to 200C (180 fan). Spread the baguette pieces over a baking sheet, drizzle with melted butter, then season with salt and pepper. Bake for six minutes, then set aside.
Boil the pasta (and cook according to packet instructions). Meanwhile, melt butter in a saucepan, add the sliced (or minced) garlic and the English mustard powder.
Cook for one minute, then stir in three tablespoons of plain flour; cook for another minute, then gradually whisk in the milk until it’s a lump-free sauce.
Simmer for five minutes, whisking all the time. Then take off the heat, stir in the cheddar (the whole 250g bag) and half the parmesan.
Stir the drained pasta into the cheese sauce, season to taste, then pour it into a large ovenproof dish.
Top the cheesy pasta with the baguette pieces (or toasted and buttered bread, if you don’t have a baguette).
Then add some Parmesan on top and bake in the oven for 20 minutes, until crisp and golden.
And there you have it – a lovely mac and cheese dish that is the ideal comfort meal.
