Ultimate Mac & Cheese
Why ultimate? This baby has a three-cheese sauce made with cheddar, mozzarella and Italian hard cheese, combined with garlic and wholegrain mustard to cut through the gooey cheesy goodness. Topped with crispy bacon, breadcrumbs and served with balsamic dressed leaves and roast baby plum tomatoes. It's time to get cheesy!
Ingredients for 2 people
You'll also need
Butter, Flour, Milk, Olive oil, Pepper, Salt, Sugar (or dietary alternatives)
Cooking instructions
Instructions for 2 portion recipe.
Preheat the oven to 180°C/ 160°C (fan)/ 350°F/ Gas 4
Boil a kettle
Add the baby plum tomatoes to a baking tray with a drizzle of olive oil and season with a pinch of salt and sugar
Put them in the oven to slow-roast until serving (approx. 30 min)
Meanwhile, add the conchiglie to a pot of boiled water with a large pinch of salt and bring to the boil over a high heat
Cook the conchiglie for 8-10 min or until cooked with a slight bite
Once done, drain the conchiglie, reserving 300ml [600ml] of the starchy pasta water
Meanwhile, cut the streaky bacon into small, bite-size pieces
Heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) over a high heat and once hot, add 2/3 of the chopped bacon (save the rest for later!)
Cook for 3-4 min or until crisped, then transfer to kitchen paper and set aside (keep the pan!)
Meanwhile, peel the garlic
Grate the Italian hard cheese
Grate the cheddar
Drain, pat dry and rip the mozzarella into small, bite-size pieces
Return the pan to a medium heat and once hot, add 30g [60g] butter
Once melted, add 30g [60g] flour and stir with a wooden spoon for 1-2 min or until a sandy paste forms - this is your roux
Gradually whisk 350ml [700ml] milk into the roux and cook for 5 min or until a smooth, thick sauce remains - this is your béchamel sauce
Meanwhile, grate the garlic into the béchamel sauce and season with a generous pinch of salt and pepper
Once thickened, add the Italian hard cheese, cheddar, wholegrain mustard, crispy bacon and drained conchigle with a few splashes of starchy pasta water to loosen the mixture
Tip: you want your sauce to be quite loose as it will continue to thicken in the oven!
Remove the slow roasted tomatoes from the oven and set them aside until serving
Increase the oven temperature to 240°C/ 220°C (fan)/ 475°F/ Gas 9
Transfer the cheesy pasta to an oven-proof dish, then top with the ripped mozzarella, panko breadcrumbs and the remaining chopped bacon, drizzle with olive oil and put the dish in the oven for 20-25 min or until it's golden
Meanwhile, combine the balsamic vinegar with 2 tbsp [4 tbsp] olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper - this is your balsamic dressing
Gently toss the baby leaf mixed salad with the slow roasted tomatoes and drizzle with the balsamic dressing when you're ready to serve
Enjoy!
Nutritional information
Nutritional information only applies to ingredients supplied by Gousto.
serving
The cooking process and additional ingredients added at home (listed under “You'll also need”) will affect total values.
Allergens
Allergens highlighted by † (celery, crustacean, egg, fish, gluten, lupin, milk, mollusc, mustard, nut, peanut, sesame, soya, sulphites).
In addition to the recipe specific allergen information provided, due to production and packing methods Gousto boxes may also contain low levels of the following allergens: Cereals containing gluten; Crustaceans; Eggs; Fish; Peanuts; Soya; Milk; Nuts: almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, cashews, pecan nuts, brazil nuts, pistachio nuts, macadamia nuts; Celery; Sesame; Sulphur dioxide and Sulphites; Lupin; Molluscs; Mustard.
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