Basic Macaroni Cheese

This is the basic recipe that my mum taught me. You can add ham, tuna, cooked bacon, onions or other vegetables if you like. I usually keep it simple and just serve this with broccoli on the side.

If you’ve never made a sauce from a roux before, I recommend trying it – you can make so many things once you’ve got the technique down – sauces, gravy, some soups use a roux base, and loads of casserole-type dishes. There are plenty of packets and jars with weird ingredients that you can stop buying at the supermarket if you can make your own sauces!

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

10oz/300g/2⅓ cups Macaroni
1½oz/1½ tbsp butter
1½oz/3 tbsp flour
1 pint/600ml/2⅓ cups milk
2 tsp Dijon mustard (or 1 tsp English mustard or dry mustard)
6oz/175g/1½ cups grated mature cheddar or extra tasty cheese (Note: you may need more cheese if the cheese you have is milder in flavour. Alternatively, replace a ½ cup with grated parmesan if you have it)
Salt and pepper, to taste

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Cook the macaroni in plenty of salted boiling water according to packet instructions.
2. Melt the butter in a pan over a low to medium heat, then add the flour and cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly.
3. Add the milk gradually, about a ¼ cup at a time at first, beating really well between additions. The roux will thicken to almost solid at first, but keep adding milk patiently and stirring vigorously until smooth (gently at first though, or you’ll splash milk all over yourself!). Use a whisk if you accidentally add a bit too much milk in one go and it gets lumpy. You’ll be able to add milk faster once about half of it is incorporated.
4. Bring the sauce to the boil and let it bubble gently for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Take the pan off the heat and add the mustard, salt and pepper and ⅔ of the cheese, stirring until the cheese has melted. (Note: I take it off the heat because if you add the cheese while the sauce is boiling, it goes grainy).
6. By now the pasta should be cooked, so drain it and stir into the sauce. Pour the mixture into a ovenproof dish and top with the rest of the cheese.
7. Bake for 20 minutes until golden and bubbling.

Tip

When making a roux, if you are a bit more generous with the butter, the roux is softer and it is easier to incorporate the liquid.

Parmesan cheese makes a crispier topping than other cheeses.

Thanks for reading! Have you made your own macaroni cheese? Do you add any meat and vegetables or do you like it as it is?