Mushroom macaroni and cheese with truffle salt

Last year, I was gifted a jar of Altima truffle salt from Anthonij Rupert Wines. It is the first wine farm in the country to grow black Périgord truffles locally. The fragrance of the truffle is masterful with simple dishes that allow this ingredient to shine. Truffle salt is usually added towards the end of the cooking time so that the flavour is retained – it’s not a cooking salt, but a finishing salt.

Serves 4

• Preparation time: 30 minutes Cooking time: 30 minutes

Oven temperature: 200 °C

• 400g macaroni

• 15ml each butter and olive oil

• 300g mixed mushrooms, chopped

• 2 sprigs thyme

• 2 garlic cloves, chopped

• 15ml butter

• 30ml flour

• 350ml full-cream milk

• about 5ml truffle salt (or to taste) • freshly grated nutmeg

• 125ml grated Parmesan

1 Cook the pasta in salted water until just al dente (remember, it’s still going into the oven). Rinse in cold water and set aside. Melt the butter and oil and fry the mushrooms and thyme until golden-brown. Stir in the garlic, fry for a minute and scoop out the mixture (discard the thyme).

2 Stir the remaining butter and flour into the pan and mix to form a roux. Gradually beat in the milk with a balloon whisk (this prevents the mixture from becoming lumpy); simmer for about 5 minutes until thick. Season with the truffle salt, black pepper to taste and nutmeg, then remove from the heat.

3 Preheat the oven. Mix the pasta and mushrooms through the sauce and spoon into an ovenproof dish. Sprinkle with Parmesan and bake for 15 minutes or until warmed through and bubbling. Serve immediately. >>