Macaroni Cheese Recipe Nigella Food

SWEET POTATO MACARONI CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C Fan/gas mark 6/400°F. Put on a large-ish pan of water to boil, with the lid on to make it come to the boil faster. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them roughly into 2-3cm/1inch pieces. When the water's boiling, add salt to taste, and then the sweet potato pieces, and cook them for about 10 minutes or until they are soft. Scoop them out of the water into a bowl - using a "spider" or slotted spoon - and lightly mash with a fork, without turning them into a purée. Don't get rid of this water, as you will need it to cook your pasta in later. In another saucepan, gently melt the butter and add the flour, whisking to form a roux, then take the pan off the heat, slowly whisk in the milk and, when it's all combined and smooth, put back on the heat. Exchange your whisk for a wooden spoon, and continue to stir until your gently bubbling sauce has lost any floury taste and has thickened. Add the mustard and the ¼ teaspoon of paprika. Season to taste, but do remember that you will be adding Cheddar and salty feta later, so underdo it for now. Cook the pennette in the sweet-potato water, starting to check 2 minutes earlier than packet instructions dictate, as you want to make sure it doesn't lose its bite entirely. Drain (reserving some of the pasta cooking water first) and then add the pennette to the mashed sweet potato, and fold in to combine; the heat of the pasta will make the mash easier to mix in. Add the feta cheese to the sweet potato and pasta mixture, crumbling it in so that it is easier to disperse evenly, then fold in the white sauce, adding the 125g/1¼ cups grated Cheddar as you go. Add some of the pasta cooking water, should you feel it needs loosening up at all. Check for seasoning again, then, when you're happy, spoon the brightly sauced macaroni cheese into 4 small ovenproof dishes of approx. 375-425ml/1½-1¾ cup capacity (or 1 large rectangular dish measuring approx. 30 x 20 x 5cm/12 x 8 x 2 inches deep and 1.6 litre/6½-cup capacity). Sprinkle the remaining Cheddar over each one, dust with the remaining ¼ teaspoon of paprika, then shred the sage leaves and scatter the skinny green ribbons over the top, too. Put the pots on a baking tray, pop into the oven and bake for 20 minutes (or, if you're making this in a larger dish, bake for 30-35 minutes), by which time they will be piping hot and bubbling, and begging you to eat them.

SWEET POTATO MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F. Put on a large-ish pan of water to boil, with the lid on to make it come to a boil faster.
• Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them roughly into 1 inch pieces. When the water's boiling, add salt to taste, and then the sweet potato pieces, and cook them for about 10 minutes or until they are soft. Scoop them out of the water into a bowl-using a "spider" or slotted spoon-and lightly mash with a fork, without turning them into a purée. Don't get rid of this water, as you will need it to cook your pasta in later.
• In another saucepan, gently melt the butter and add the flour, whisking to form a roux, then take the pan off the heat, slowly whisk in the milk and, when it's all combined and smooth, put back on the heat. Exchange your whisk for a wooden spoon, and continue to stir until your gently bubbling sauce has lost any floury taste and has thickened. Add the mustard and ¼ teaspoon of the paprika. Season to taste, but do remember that you will be adding Cheddar and salty feta later, so underdo it for now.
• Cook the pennette in the sweet-potato water, starting to check 2 minutes earlier than packet instructions dictate, as you want to make sure it doesn't lose its bite entirely. Drain (reserving some of the pasta cooking water first) and then add the pennette to the mashed sweet potato, and fold in to combine; the heat of the pasta will make the mash easier to mix in.
• Add the feta cheese to the sweet potato and pasta mixture, crumbling it in so that it is easier to disperse evenly, then fold in the white sauce, adding 1 1/4 cups grated Cheddar as you go. Add some of the pasta cooking water, should you feel it needs loosening up at all.
• Check for seasoning again, then, when you're happy, spoon the brightly sauced macaroni cheese into 4 small ovenproof dishes of approx. 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cup capacity (or 1 large rectangular dish measuring approx. 12x8x2 inches deep and 6 1/2 cup capacity). Sprinkle the remaining Cheddar over each one, dust with the remaining ¼ teaspoon of paprika, then shred the sage leaves and scatter the skinny green ribbons over the top, too.
• Put the pots on a baking tray, pop into the oven and bake for 20 minutes (or, if you're making this in a larger dish, bake for 30-35 minutes), by which time they will be piping hot and bubbling, and begging you to eat them.

BEST EVER MACARONI CHEESE RECIPE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Spread the baguette chunks over a baking sheet, drizzle with the melted butter and season. Bake for 6 mins until crisp, then set aside.
• Boil the pasta for 2 mins less than stated on the pack, then drain. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the garlic and English mustard powder, cook for 1 min, then stir in the plain flour.
• Cook for 1 min more, then gradually whisk in the milk until you have a lump-free sauce. Simmer for 5 mins, whisking all the time until thickened. Take off the heat, then stir in the cheddar and half the parmesan.
• Stir the pasta and some seasoning into the cheesy sauce. Tip into a large ovenproof dish, or four individual dishes.
• Scatter over the bread and the remaining parmesan, then bake for 20 mins until crisp and golden. Can be frozen before baking - defrost thoroughly before cooking.

MACARONI CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C Fan/gas mark 7/425°F. Cook the macaroni according to the packet instructions, drain and then put back into the hot pan. While the pasta is cooking, put the cheese, evaporated milk, eggs and nutmeg in a processor and blitz to mix. Or grate the cheese and mix everything by hand. Pour the cheese sauce over the macaroni, stir well, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Tip into a 25.5 cm/10 inch-diameter dish (wide and shallow is best) and bake in the very hot oven for about 10-15 minutes, or until it is bubbling and blistering on top.

DE LUX MACARONI AND CHEESE (ADAPTED FROM NIGELLA LAWSON)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to gas mark 7. Mix milk and evaporated milk together in a jug. In a medium lidded saucepan melt the butter add the flour and stir cooking on a low heat until it smells biscuity and has gone golden.
• Take the pan off the heat add the milk mixture little by little whisking each addition thoroughly to incorporate until it is all added. Add mustard powder.
• Put pan back on medium heat and stirring with wooden spoon cook for approx 10 minutes until thickened and flouriness has been cooked away. Add 3/4 cheese, saving a bit for the top of the mac.
• Boil the kettle and place hot water in a new large saucepan. Salt well and then add macaroni. Bring to boil and cook for a couple minutes less than packet instructions.
• Mix the pasta, broccoli and cheese sauce in a large oven-proof dish, Sprinkle over remaining cheese and bake for 20 minutes.