My mother’s amazing Coco-passion delight! Was a birthday treat, very yummm.co.nz!
For those in Hawera, check it out at The Cafe, Princes Street.
Macaroni Cheese - a slightly healthier version
Macaroni Cheese
(serves 2 hungry people)
There aren’t many people out there that don’t love Macaroni Cheese, and with the cold weather it is great for lunch. Make double and freeze some so you can grab it before heading off to work.
Using chicken bacon instead of normal bacon, and not using breadcrumb topping makes for a slightly healthier version.
- 200g dried macaroni elbows (you can substitute with spirals or penne)
- 50g chicken bacon, diced
- 1 small onion diced
- ½ tablespoon oil
- ¾ tablespoons butter
- 1 ½ tablespoons plain flour
- 350ml trim milk
- 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon english mustard (prepared)
- 50g grated edam cheese, plus a little extra for sprinkling
- salt and pepper
Method
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 190ºC.
Step 2
Bring 4 litres of water to boil in a large saucepan. Add a teaspoon of salt and boil the pasta for 10 minutes, or according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Step 3
While the pasta is cooking, prepare the sauce. Cut the bacon into small pieces and cook it in a medium saucepan with a little of the oil. When the bacon is beginning to brown, remove it from the pan and set it aside.
Step 4
Melt the butter and remaining oil in the pan the bacon was cooked in, then use a whisk to mix the flour into the melted fats. Gradually whisk in the milk, adding it a little at a time, whisking well after each addition to ensure a lump-free sauce. When all the milk has been added return the bacon to the pan and using a wooden spoon, stir the sauce over a gentle heat until it thickens. Don’t let it boil and stir using circular and figure-of-eight motions so the sauce doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. This may take 5-10 minutes. When thick enough to coat the back of the wooden spoon, stir in the worcestershire sauce, mustard and grated cheese and add some salt and pepper. You should taste it now to check the seasoning, then stir the cooked and drained pasta into the sauce.
Step 5
Tip the mixture into a heatproof dish, top with additional grated cheese and bake for 20 minutes or until golden on top.
