QUICK AND EASY MACARONI CHEESE
One reader’s simplified version of the classic comfort dish
I’m not sure I have met anyone who doesn’t like mac and cheese. It is a real crowd-pleaser of a dish: a highly satisfying combination of carbohydrate and fat that guarantees deep comfort to anyone who eats it.
For the home cook it is undeniably pleasing too: fairly effortless to make, easy to scale up for a crowd, enjoyed by young and old and quite often averaging around €1.30 per portion. This recipe (right) was sent in by reader Irene Thomas and cleverly uses crème fraîche instead of a white sauce, which
If I’m out to impress, I add roasted cubes of squash
will also cut down significantly on the prep time.
Macaroni cheese is easy to accessorise. For a weeknight supper I might add some frozen spinach or peas to the mix to introduce a flash of green. On the weekend, adding steamed cauliflower florets and a breadcrumb topping for a little crunch makes a mac/cauli cheese hybrid that is always a hit.
And if I’m going all-out to impress, some roasted cubes of squash and golden pan-fried pancetta really elevate things. Smoked haddock is a good alternative for non-meat eaters.
Surprisingly, it is also a dish for all seasons. As we head into the warmer months, I find that the addition of some cherry tomatoes and/or a few kernels of corn fresh off the cob plus a crisp green salad on the side make it an ideal summer meal.
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 180C/ 160C fan/gas 4.
macaroni and a pinch of salt and simmer for half of the cooking time instructed on the pack. Scoop out a mugful of the cooking water before draining.
While the macaroni is cooking
mix together the crème fraîche, mustard and three-quarters of
the grated cheddar cheese in an ovenproof dish.
Add the hot macaroni and 3 tbsp of the pasta cooking water. Stir until combined and season to taste. Sprinkle the remaining grated cheese on top and bake for 15-20 minutes until piping hot.