With just under two weeks to go until Valentine's Day, your thoughts might be turning to what to cook? We’ve teamed up with cookery writer Martha Collison, to create the perfect dish to share your love.
Adding a twist to the ever popular Mac and Cheese, Martha’s recipe has a thick, comforting and velvety sauce, made with our Oak Smoked and Mature Cheddar, giving it a delightfully smoky tang.
"My secret to the perfect saucy mac & cheese is not to oven bake it! All it needs is a few minutes under the grill, so you achieve a golden crunchy top but the sauce is gooey and molten underneath." Martha Collison
Serves: 4-6 Preparation time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 5 minutes
Ingredients
- 500g macaroni or rigatoni pasta
- 50g Quicke's Slightly Salted Whey Butter
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp Otter Vale Smooth English Mustard
- 450ml milk
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 200g Quicke’s Mature Cheddar, grated
- 100g Quicke’s Oak Smoked Cheddar, grated
- 50g breadcrumbs (optional)
Method
- Bring a large saucepan or casserole dish of salted water to the boil. Add the pasta and cook until al-dente, following the packet instructions.
- Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium saucepan and add the flour, paprika and mustard to make a roux. Whisk into the butter and cook the paste for 1-2 minutes to prevent a floury taste.
- Add the milk a little at a time, whisking after each addition, until you have a thick, smooth sauce. Finally, stir in ¾ of the grated cheese (reserve the rest for the top!) and whisk until melted.
- Drain the pasta once it is cooked, then stir in the cheese sauce. Pour into an ovenproof dish (I use the casserole dish I use to cook the pasta) and sprinkle with the remaining cheese and the breadcrumbs. Grill on high for 5 minutes or until the top is nicely browned – keep a close eye on it so it doesn’t burn! Serve immediately with a crisp, green salad.
