You’re at your Aunties

So hot on the heels of my grans macaroni cheese is my version. I know that there are probably millions of recipes out there. You might wonder what makes mine the one to make. I’d say that for me it’s about taking a family recipe that works and modernizing for today’s tastes.

My Macaroni Cheese contains more cheddar cheese and I also Parmesan cheese that add the salty tang. I also put some English mustard in as well which gives a umami flavor.

I always make to much, so there is usually more for the next day. So I have scaled it down.

Recipe

400g elbow pasta
60g butter
90g plain flour
Approx 1 lt milk (depends how thick you like your sauce)
1 tsp English mustard
250g strong mature cheddar
50/100g Parmesan ( my preference is more towards 100g)
100g of freshly blitzed breadcrumbs (optional)

Instructions

Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.

Boil the pasta for 2 mins less than stated on the pack, then drain.

Now I make my white sauce in the microwave, but you can make it the conventional way if you prefer. Take a large microwaveable bowl and add the butter. Put in the microwave and melt it for 30 seconds on high. Once melted add the flour and stir together until you have a paste. Add some of the milk and put back in the microwave for 3 minutes. While that is happening you can grate the cheeses. Keep them separate as the Parmesan is sprinkled on the top. One the 3 minutes are up take the mixture out of the microwave. At this point the mixture may be firm, don’t worry , break it up with a wooden spoon and add some more milk. Use a balloon whisk to whisk until smooth. Put back in the microwave and cook for a further 3 minutes. Repeat this process until you have your desired thickness. Then add the Cheddar cheese and stir in hot sauce. Add salt, pepper and the English mustard.

Tip the drained pasta and sauce into a oven proof dish and mix it until pasta and sauce are mixed thoroughly. Now sprinkle on the bread crumbs if using. Finally sprinkle on the Parmesan as much or little as you desire. A little twist of black pepper and Cook in the oven for 20 minutes until crisp and golden.

And now enjoy!

I never knew grandmother Wylie, she died even before my mum and dad got married. But by all accounts she was a force to be reckoned with. Although my dad hasn’t said a lot about his mother, he did give the impression she was the boss in the house. When I rediscovered her cook book my dad told me that she was a good baker. Which has always been my strength. I’m not adverse to a savory cook though and a favorite in my house has always been macaroni cheese. So when I found a recipe in my grans recipe book I thought I’d give it a whirl.

My grans recipes date from the Second World War possibly earlier. It was an era of shortages .

The egg made the difference to the dish I make today. It’s not a huge difference it’s just a little firmer. I like a little more cheese in mine. The egg gives a richness to the recipe that makes up for a milder cheese flavor.

Macaroni cheese always goes down well in my house and this recipe was no different.