My Ultimate Mac & Cheese Recipe
I can’t believe that I have never before written out my mac & cheese recipe in a blog post. Now that we’re transitioning into Autumn, I’m craving mac & cheese more than ever, and I therefore thought it would be the perfect time to share my recipe with you. Right off the bat, you may be confused by my pasta choice – rigatoni rather than the traditional macaroni?! I feel that rigatoni is the superior pasta choice for mac & cheese, as this pasta shape can hold even more of the delicious cheese sauce than macaroni, making each mouthful even more mouthwatering!
Ingredients
350g rigatoni
35g butter
35g plain flour
500ml whole milk
325g cheddar, grated
100g parmesan, grated
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
Freshly grated nutmeg
Salt & pepper
1 slice of bread, blitzed (stale bread works well for this!)
Method
Preheat your oven to around 200C, and get a large pan of water boiling, add a good pinch of salt to the water, then add your pasta.
Cook your pasta for around 8-10 minutes, until it is al dente, then drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, begin your cheese sauce in a separate saucepan; melt your butter and add in your flour – stirring constantly for a few minutes.
Gradually add the milk to your roux, a splash at a time, whisking constantly until your sauce becomes smooth.
Add around half of your grated cheddar and half of your grated parmesan to the sauce, stirring the cheeses in until they have fully melted.
Remove the sauce from the heat and add your salt, pepper, nutmeg and mustard.
Stir your cooked pasta into your cheese sauce and pour the mixture into your oven dish.
Sprinkle the rest of your grated cheese on top, then the breadcrumbs, and cook in the oven until the top of your mac and cheese is golden and bubbling with a crispy top.
Enjoy your delicious meal curled up on a cosy sofa!!
