Real Mac & Cheese
When I was pregnant I really got into exploring the world of hard cheeses. There are so many amazing melting cheeses that really elevate the humble mac & cheese to something comforting yet tasty enough to please the most sophisticated palates.
My favourite is a combo of emmental, gruyere and raclette. But pretty much any cheese is good here. I often add a little parmesan for flavour. It’s a great way to use up any small scraps of cheese floating around your fridge. A touch of blue can be lovely but be careful it doesn’t over power.
Best served with a simple green salad to freshen things up.
enough for 2
1 onion
1/2 cup white wine
200g (7oz) cheese, grated
200g (7oz) short pasta
2 tablespoon double cream
1. Preheat oven to 180C and get a pot of water on to boil for the pasta.
2. Meanwhile cook onion in a little oil over a medium low heat until soft but not browned. Add the wine and allow to simmer and reduce for a few minutes.
3. Cook pasta until almost tender (al dente). Drain well and return to the pot.
4. Quickly stir in onion mixture, 2/3s of the cheese and the cream. Divide between two oven proof dishes. Top with remaining cheese.
5. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden and bubbling.
Variations
dairy-free – you’re kidding right? Get your fix for a creamy pasta by making a traditional cabonara with just egg yolks and bacon instead OR Make this pasta with greens and almonds.
grain-free – replace pasta with cauliflower chopped into florettes – about 1/2 head cauli for 2 people. Simmer or steam until almost tender then drain well.
gluten-free – just use a good commercial GF pasta (there are some pretty good ones out there these days). Or try the grain-free option above. Or replace with a drained can of chickpeas.
alcohol-free / tiny person-friendly – replace the wine with verjuice (unfermented unripe grape juice) or use a small squeeze of lemon juice for freshness instead. The other option is to skip the wine and replace the cream with sour cream.
no cream? – replace with a little butter or olive oil.
onion-free – replace with finely chopped celery or carrot or both. Or just skip it along with the wine.
carb lovers / more substantial – use extra pasta OR serve with garlic bread.
carnivore – add some pancetta or bacon to the onion.
short on time – just toss hot pasta in with the cheese and onion mixture and skip the baking step.
Waste Avoidance Strategy
onion, pasta – will keep in the pantry for months.
white wine – will keep in the fridge or pantry as long as it’s out of sight of my Irishman 😉
cheese – most hard and melting cheeses will keep for weeks wrapped in waxed paper or baking paper and stored in an airtight container (or sealed ziplock bag) in the fridge. If you need to store for longer cheese can be frozen.
double cream – unopened cartons will generally keep in the fridge for another week. If you need to store for longer, just pop in the freezer in a sealed container. Or freeze in icecube trays so you can easily defrost just what you need.
Add to my Old Favourite Recipes
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