Baked Mac and Cheese
Forty minutes in an oven is a lovely idea for a day that is not today. This one builds its sauce in the pan and browns its crust under the grill, and it still pulls those long cheese strings.
- Total time
- 17 min
- Serves
- 3
- Effort
- Easy
What you need
Written for 3 — nudge the counter and the numbers follow.
0 of 10 in the basket.
How you make it
Bring a large pan of well salted water to a rolling boil and cook the macaroni for 1 minute less than the packet says, then drain and keep 100ml of the cooking water.
While the pasta boils, melt the butter in a second pan over medium heat, whisk in the flour and cook for 90 seconds until it smells biscuity but has not coloured.
Pour in the milk in three additions, whisking hard after each, and simmer for 3 minutes until it coats the back of a spoon.
Take the pan off the heat before adding the cheddar, mustard powder, nutmeg and salt, and stir until smooth — direct heat will make the cheese split and go grainy.
Fold in the drained pasta, loosening with the reserved water if it tightens, then tip into a shallow heatproof dish.
Scatter the breadcrumbs and parmesan-style cheese over the top and grill 12cm from the element for 3 to 4 minutes until blistered and golden.
Read all that and thought “absolutely not”?
Completely fair. Baked Mac and Cheese is sitting in the American kitchen right now, it costs nothing, and it will never arrive.
Order it insteadMore from the American kitchen
Portions that need two hands and no apology.