Macaroni Cheese

Winter's here, snow is in the way so comfort food is on the menu.  You can always add extra tomatoes and a salad for a healthier option! Adapted from a Felicity Cloake recipe. 

Ingredients for 4 

400g macaroni

70g butter, plus extra for greasing

50g plain flour

900mls whole milk

1/2 a nutmeg, grated

1 teasp English mustard powder

100g mature cheddar

2 slices of white bread, made into breadcrumbs

2 tbsp grated parmesan

4 tomatoes, halved.

Black pepper and salt for the tomatoes.  

Method

Cook the macaroni in plenty of salted boiling water until tender following the pack instructions. Meanwhile, melt 50g of the butter in a pan, and stir in the flour. Cook, stirring, for a couple of minutes, then gradually whisk in the milk until you have a smooth sauce. Cook, stirring, for a few minutes until it thickens, then add the grated nutmeg and the mustard and stir in the cheddar until smooth. Take off the heat, and season to taste.

Pre-heat the grill. Drain the macaroni and rinse under cold running water. Grease a baking dish with butter, then combine the pasta and cheese sauce and tip into the dish.

Melt the remaining butter and then toss it together with the breadcrumbs and the parmesan. Spread over the top of the dish, then arrange the tomatoes, cut-side up, on top. Grill for about 10 minutes until golden and bubbling. Allow to stand for five minutes before serving.