MOM’S MAC ‘N CHEESE
“This is the mac and cheese recipe I grew up with. I was introduced to the creamy variety later but I still prefer this one. This is one of the first things my mother taught me to cook. I cherish this recipe and its hidden lessons about generosity and balance. To my vegetarian friends, please omit the bacon and give this recipe a go.”
SERVES: 4-6, EASY, PREP: 10 MINS, COOKING: 40 MINS
250g rigatoni or macaroni
45ml (3 tbsp) vegetable oil
500g streaky bacon, diced
1 large onion, roughly chopped
1 red pepper, diced
1 yellow pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
15ml (1 tbsp) dried oregano
15ml (1 tbsp) Spanish smoked paprika
6 fresh tomatoes, washed and diced 100g tomato paste
15ml (1 tbsp) brown sugar
180ml (¾ cup) water
200g mozzarella, grated
200g mature cheddar, grated
10g fresh parsley, roughly chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 Preheat the oven to 200°C. Cook the pasta according to package instructions and set aside. Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Fry the bacon over a high heat until the fat is well rendered and the bacon in crispy.
2 Reduce the heat to medium and add the onion and peppers. Once the peppers start to caramelise, add the garlic, oregano and paprika. Fry for a further 3 minutes, then add the tomatoes and ½ cup water. Simmer for 10-15 minutes, then add the tomato paste, oregano and sugar. If the mixture reduces too much, add an additional ¼ cup water. Season to taste.
3 Mix the cheeses. Combine the cooked pasta, tomato sauce and the cheese and place in an ovenproof dish. Top with the remaining cheese and the parsley. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese is a bubbling. Serve hot with salad.