See Also: Macaroni cheese with bacon(recipes)
Macaroni cheese(recipes)
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Zesty Macaroni & Cheese(recipes)
Enlightened Macaroni and Cheese(recipes)
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South-of-the-Border Macaroni & Cheese(recipes)

Macaroni cheese with bacon (recipes)








Serves 4



Preparation time

less than 30 mins



Cooking time

30 mins to 1 hour

















Ingredients



For the cheese sauce750ml/1pint 7fl oz milk50g/2oz unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing the dish50g/2oz plain flour1 bay leaf175g/6oz strong cheddar cheese50g/2oz Parmesan¼ teaspoon cayenne peppersalt and freshly ground black pepperFor the rest300g/10½oz macaroni8 free-range smoked bacon rashers



Method



1. Heat oven 200C/400F/Gas 6. 2. Fill a large saucepan three-quarters full with water and put it on a high heat to boil. 3. Meanwhile, make the sauce. Using hot milk to make a béchamel greatly reduces the risk of a lumpy sauce, so start by pouring the milk into a medium saucepan and place it over a medium heat, until the milk is hot, but not quite boiling. Pour the hot milk into a jug and keep it standing by.4. Now put the butter in the medium saucepan and melt it over a low heat. As soon as it has melted, tip in the flour. Turn up the heat a little. Stir the flour and butter with a wooden spoon to make a thick paste called a roux. It is very important to cook this roux a little or you will end up with a floury-tasting sauce, so keep stirring it for a minute or two while it sizzles gently. 5. Pour in about a quarter of the hot milk and stir it carefully into the roux. Swap the wooden spoon for a whisk and you will find it much easier to blend in the milk. Gradually add the rest of the milk and keep whisking gently until it is all thoroughly mixed in. Add the bay leaf. Bring the sauce to the boil and then turn the heat down to low. Let the sauce gently simmer for about five minutes. Stir every minute or so just to stop it catching on the bottom of the pan. Meanwhile, grate the two cheeses, keeping them separate. Grease a large ovenproof dish (about 22cm square) with plenty of butter. 6. Season the sauce very well with a good grinding of black pepper, a generous grinding of salt and the cayenne pepper. Add the grated cheddar cheese to the sauce and stir well.7. When the water in the large pot starts to boil, add a good pudding spoonful of salt and the macaroni and cook the pasta for two minutes less than the time it says on the packet. Drain in a colander over the sink.8. Add the pasta to the cheese sauce and stir together well until thoroughly combined. Pour the cheesy macaroni into the ovenproof dish. Spread evenly and sprinkle it with the grated Parmesan. 9. Wearing oven gloves, place the dish in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes, until the cheese on top has turned golden brown and the sauce is bubbling. 10. Meanwhile, grill or fry the bacon rashers until they are brown and crisp, turning them once half way through cooking.11. Serve the macaroni cheese right away, with a couple of crisp bacon rashers on top of each person' s helping of creamy macaroni.