Macaroni Cheese Recipe


I know lots of fussy children who only ever want to eat plain pasta with grated cheese. Maybe with a little gentle persuasion they could be enticed to try this tasty macaroni cheese recipe. You can make this with or without the ham and tomato – it’s a really delicious cheese sauce. Pasta provides a good source of complex carbohydrate, so this macaroni will boost your child’s energy levels as well as providing a good source of protein and calcium.
 

Macaroni Cheese recipe

 

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Ingredients

350 g (12 oz) macaroni
4 medium tomatoes, skinned, seeded and chopped
75 g (2 1/2 oz) sliced ham, shredded (optional)

 

Cheese Sauce

45 g (1 1/2 oz) butter
45g (1 1/2 oz) flour
450 ml (15 fl oz) milk
85 g (3 oz) Gruyère, grated
60 g (2oz) freshly grated Parmesan
150 g (5 oz) mascarpone

 

Topping

40 g (1 1/2 oz) breadcrumbs (2 medium slices bread, white or wholemeal, crusts removed)
20 g (3/4 oz) freshly grated Parmesan

 

Method:

Cook the pasta according the packet instructions in plenty of salted boiling water.

Melt the butter, stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually add the milk, stirring over a low heat for 5–6 minutes. Take off the heat, stir in the Gruyère and Parmesan until melted, then the mascarpone.

Drain the pasta, return to the pan, pour over the cheese sauce and heat through gently.  Stir in the chopped tomatoes and shredded ham.

Transfer to a greased ovenproof dish (approximately 26 cm x 17 cm x 5 cm (9 in x 6 in x 2 in).  Mix together the breadcrumbs and Parmesan and sprinkle on top. Place under a preheated grill until golden and bubbling.

Information:
Suitable for freezing
MAKES 4 PORTIONS

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes