Ben’s Mac & Cheese

配料

500-800g of extra strong vintage cheddar

100g bacon lardons

80g flour

80g butter

600ml milk

Nutmeg

Mustard powder

Worcestershire sauce

400g macaroni or tube pasta

步骤

Preheat oven to 180°C

Grate the cheese and fry the bacon lardons in pan and set aside. Then put on a pot of water and bring to the boil.

Melt the butter in a medium large saucepan (about 1L capacity). When all melted on a medium heat start slowly adding flower and continuously stir until all the flour has been mixed and the texture is consistent. Add the pasta to the boiling water.

Begin to add the milk little at a time stirring and mixing the roux base into the milk. The goal is no lumps, if you can’t get rid of them just whisk. The sauce should be thicker than the milk. If this is taking a while keep an eye on the pasta to make sure it doesn’t overcook.

Add about 3/4 of the cheese slowly and let it melt until the sauce has an even consistency. At this stage the sauce should be fairly thick, glooping off the spoon. If not try adding a small amount of cornflour (cornstarch).

Grate nutmeg, add a splash of Worcestershire sauce and the mustard powder as well as a healthy grind of pepper and pinch of salt to taste. Then stir through the bacon.

Drain the pasta and add half to an ovenproof dish. Pour over sauce and mix, then add remaining pasta and pour over the rest of the sauce. Ideally the pasta should be barely breaking the surface as you don’t want it to burn in the oven. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese coating the top of the dish. Add to oven and cook until top is golden and crispy (20-40mins).