There aren’t many dishes as comforting and universally loved as macaroni and cheese. Creamy and cheesy, this classic is perfect as a quick midnight meal or an indulgent weekend dinner. Whether baked until golden with a crunchy topping, or flavoured with bacon or mushrooms, mac and cheese is the ultimate comfort food.
Few dishes promise to beat GoodFood’s ‘best ever’ recipe, which uses an unusual ingredient — a baguette — to create a deliciously crunchy topping. The recipe states: “This perfect baked macaroni cheese recipe comes with a creamy cheese sauce, a hint of mustard and uses leftover French stick for its crunchy topping.”
Method
Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Rip the baguette into small chunks and arrange them on a baking tray before drizzling them with some oil (or melted butter). Bake for six minutes until crispy.
Boil the pasta for two minutes less than the packet states as you’ll be adding it to the oven later.
Melt the butter in a saucepan with the chopped garlic and English mustard. Cook for a minute before stirring in the flour.
Cook the flour and butter mixture for a minute more then gradually whisk in the milk in small amounts, giving you a sauce that is lump-free.
Simmer for five minutes, whisking continually until the sauce thickens. Remove from the heat and add the cheddar and half of the parmesan.
Stir in the pasta to the sauce and season with some salt and pepper. Tip the mixture into a large oven proof dish or four smaller dishes.
Scatter over the bread and the remaining parmesan. Bake this for 20 minutes until the top is looking golden and crisp. Enjoy!
