Macaroni Cheese

Mmmmmm…. macaroni!

Sometimes the simplest dishes are the best. Don’t you agree?

I recently saw a menu for a vegan restaurant in a nearby city (one dish was “Stuffed roast seitan on white wine and white grape sauce, with a salad bouquet”?!), and after wowing and goggling, I realized I would be unable/unlikely to recreate any of those dishes in my own kitchen. Which is where I like my food to come from at the end of the day. We eat out very rarely, and takeaways are limited to one pizzeria where I live. Food is important to me, and I do occasionally feel like spending extra time cooking or baking, but quick, weekday meals are invaluable.

Macaroni Cheese

Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F.

Cook 300g (about 4 cups) macaroni until al dente. Melt 30g (1 oz) butter in a saucepan, then add 30g (1 oz) plain flour, salt and pepper. Cook for half a minute, stirring all the time, then slowly whisk in 250ml (1 cup) milk/soya milk. When the mixture starts thickening, whisk like mad to make it smooth, then remove from the heat. Grate 200g (2 cups) cheese. (I use cheddar and parmesan). Add about 175g (most!) of the cheese to the sauce and pour the sauce over the macaroni. Mix well and put in a hot oven for 20 minutes. Then sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top and bake for another 10 minutes.

Garnish with fresh parsley.

Mmmmmmm…