Easiest pasta cheese ever

[Juells]

My sister came up with this recipe and it sounded naff, but I tried it last night and LOVED it. Macaroni cheese always seemed very heavy and thick and cloying, plus all the faff of making a cheese sauce. What sis made was so easy.

1. Cook penne or elbow pasta for 7 or 8 minutes
   
2. Meanwhile heat up a couple of cups of milk. I put half a chili and a bay leaf and some garlic powder in it as it heated, but that's not necessary.
   
3. Grate about 100g of cheddar, or use a packet of pre-grated.
   
4. Butter an oven dish and pour strained pasta in (still hot)
   
5. Mix grated cheddar through and pour over the hot milk minus the chili, bay leaf etc.. I put sliced tomatoes all over the top, but it's not necessary. More cheese on top.
   
6. In over for 40 to 45 mins at about 180.
   

That's it.

[LemonysSnicket]

I'll have to try it! My Macaroni cheese is always cloyingly thick

[Juells]

I liked it because it was so light, somehow.

[WhatWouldLeslieKnopeDo]

I made this one the other day. Very similar, but even easier as you cook the macaroni in the milk so only one pan. I didn't bother with the salsa. I topped it with cheesy breadcrumbs and baked in the oven about 20 minutes.

Nadiya Hussain did one the other day where she didn't use milk at all. It looked nice, apart from the fact she added piccalilli

[WhatWouldLeslieKnopeDo]

Nadiya's piccalilli macaroni cheese

[cloudtree]

possibly a silly question but why would you go to the faff of buttering an oven dish when the minute you put the hot pasta and the hot milk in there it will all melt straight off?

[ArtemisWeatherwax]

You can do it in 6 minutes in the microwave: www.babble.com/best-recipes/instant-mug-o-mac-cheese-in-the-microwave/

[Juells]

I wonder what "boxed mac and cheese" is when it's at home?

when the minute you put the hot pasta and the hot milk in there it will all melt straight off?

Because I didn't think it through 😂 Also, I'm a butter freak, put it in everything.

[WhatWouldLeslieKnopeDo]

Boxed macaroni cheese. I tried it once, just for the novelty value. But it's quite pointless.

[beeefcake]

Thanks for this! Will be giving it a go!