Quick macaroni & cheese

Easy family supper
No household should be without a Quick macaroni & cheese recipe. It is great for an easy weekday meal and something the whole family can enjoy. Some macaroni and cheese recipes are more like a firm quiche mixture, but this one is just the right combination of saucy and firm. The base is a white sauce seasoned with herbs and cheese. I prefer lots of texture in this dish and always put corn and peas in my recipe, because my kids love it, and it is a great way to avoid just having a lot of starch and to include extra veggies for them. The bacon adds extra flavour – making it even more delicious.

Recipe

Recipe from Make five/Maak vyf
Serves 4

Ingredients

300 g thin macaroni

60 ml (¼ cup) olive or avocado oil

250 g bacon, cut in cubes

45 ml (3 tbsp) cake flour

600 ml milk

125 ml (½ cup) grated white Cheddar cheese

10 ml (2 tsp) mixed dried herbs

lemon juice, salt and pepper

60 ml (¼ cup) chopped fresh chives

125 ml (½ cup) frozen whole kernel corn, rinsed

125 ml (½ cup) frozen peas, rinsed

extra mixed dried herbs to sprinkle on top

Method

1. Bring 2,5-3 litres of water to the boil in a large pot and add a pinch of salt. Stir in the pasta and bowl until just soft (‘al dente’). Drain and add half of the oil. Keep warm.
2. Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Heat a large frying pan and fry bacon until golden brown. Spoon out and drain on paper towel.
3. Heat remaining oil in the same pan and stir in the flour to form a paste. Simmer for a few minutes.
4. Gradually stir the milk into the flour mixture, mixing continuously to prevent lumps from forming. Stir until a smooth sauce forms and it begins to thicken.
5. Remove from the heat and stir in the cheese. Season with herbs, lemon, salt and pepper. Stir in the chives, corn, peas and bacon.
6. Turn on the element of the oven. Stir the sauce into the pasta and season to taste. Spoon into a 2-3 litre oven dish. Sprinkle extra herbs the pasta and roast under the element for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. Serve with a salad.

Tip

1. Parmesan, pecorino or mature Cheddar cheese is also delicious in this recipe.

Image: Neville Lockhart.