Description
A creamy and cheesy classic macaroni cheese bake with a golden crust, combining mozzarella, cheddar, and red Leicester cheeses for a rich and comforting meal perfect for family dinners. This recipe uses a smooth cheese sauce blended with mustard for an extra depth of flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 500 g Macaroni
- 20 g Butter
Cheese Sauce
- 50 g Butter
- 50 g Plain flour
- 600 ml Milk
- 2 tsp English mustard
- 100 g Grated mozzarella
- 100 g Grated cheddar
- 50 g Grated red Leicester
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Topping
- 100 g Grated cheddar
- 100 g Grated red Leicester
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 180℃ (fan 160℃)/200℃/400°F, Gas Mark 6, to prepare for baking the macaroni cheese casserole.
- Cook Macaroni: Boil the macaroni in a pan of salted boiling water for 2 minutes less than the package instructions. Drain the pasta well, then stir through 20 g of butter to prevent sticking.
- Make Roux: Melt 50 g butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the 50 g plain flour to form a paste and cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly to avoid burning and to slightly cook the flour.
- Add Milk: Gradually whisk in 600 ml milk to the roux, ensuring no lumps form. Continue cooking the sauce over medium heat until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
- Incorporate Flavor: Stir in 2 teaspoons of English mustard, then add 100 g grated mozzarella, 100 g grated cheddar, and 50 g grated red Leicester into the sauce. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, stirring until the cheese melts completely.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce: Add the cooked macaroni into the cheese sauce and stir thoroughly to coat all the pasta evenly.
- Layer Macaroni and Cheese: Spoon half of the macaroni mixture into a baking dish. Sprinkle half of the remaining grated mozzarella, cheddar, and red Leicester cheeses on top.
- Add Remaining Pasta and Cheese: Layer the rest of the macaroni on top and finish by scattering the remaining grated cheddar and red Leicester cheese evenly over the surface.
- Bake: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the top layer of cheese is melted, bubbly, and golden brown.
Notes
- Boil macaroni just shy of package time to prevent overcooking during baking.
- Whisk continuously when adding milk to avoid lumps in the cheese sauce.
- You can substitute English mustard with Dijon mustard if preferred.
- Use a mix of cheeses for depth of flavor and a gooey texture.
- Ensure cheese on top is nicely browned for a pleasing crisp crust.
- For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free flour and pasta.
