Macaroni and Cheese

Average: 2.6 (252 votes)
3 Reviews
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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. You can make this macaroni cheese with or without the ham and tomato – it’s a really delicious macaroni and 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

Macaroni Cheese

Annabel Karmel's Fussy Eater's Recipe Book

Buy Annabel Karmel's Fussy Eater's Recipe Book at Amazon

  

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

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Annabroad
wrote on 10 Jun, 2012.

I have made mac and cheese many times... But have only used cheddar.... This recipe was a revelation... My LO loved it... Will make again!

 
ellie2182
wrote on 25 Apr, 2012.

made this last night, didnt have any fancy cheese, so just added up all 3 amounts and used cheddar. The meal was very nice, though it does make a huge amount! In my opinion, it makes 4 portions for feeding a family of 4. If you want it for a child, i would say it makes 8 or even 12 child size portions

 
mitchybobs
wrote on 6 Oct, 2011.

Made this and the sauce is lovely and creamy not stringy at all like some macaroni cheese I've had. The Gruyere gives it a distnctivve taste but it's not over powering, it's quite subtle. Served with veg this is a nice dinner....but watch the waistline!