Macaroni cheese

[TheCutter]

I'm making macaroni cheese tonight for dinner and wondered if you put your Mac and cheese in the oven to bake or just do it all in the frying pan?

Thanks everyone

I'm not doing it in the oven any more because of the cost of electricity.

No frying pan involved

Make the cheese sauce by warming single cream with lots and lots and lots of grated strong cheeses, plus mustard and white pepper

Dont mess about with a roux, they're never strong enough made like that

I make roux based sauces in a small non stick frying pan as there aren't any corners for it to get stuck in and it heats much more evenly imo. The crisping in the oven depends on my mood

Tomatoes?? 🤢

Breadcrumbs?

What kind of breadcrumbs are people using?
From bread you have left at home or bought in a packet? Sometimes home 'food blendered' crumbs seem a bit doughy compared to packet ones. Perhaps I'm using the wrong type of bread.

My mum used to put tomatoes on top or mix peas in macaroni so it counted as a balanced meal. Sort of.

You want stale bread. The end of a loaf, usually. Reaching the end of a loaf is a signal that it’s time to make macaroni cheese, by law.

This recipe is the one I use with a few minor adjustments.

Mustard powder in the cheese sauce.
Sliced tomatoes with cheese on the top
Tabasco on the top before it goes into the oven.

I use a Mumsnet recipe which includes some Parmesan. ( I use gran Padano as it is cheaper). I also add a few dashes of cayenne. It does’t taste spicy but adds depth some how.

I make ours:
Cook the pasta in a pan
Make the cheese sauce in another pan (tonne of cheese, literally!)
Fry bacon and leeks
Shred some cooked chicken breasts

Assemble like a lasagne in layers
Sprinkle panko bread crumbs, grated cheese and black pepper over the top, then under the grill to get the crispy layer

DH calls it epic Mac & Cheese and it's an excellent Sunday hangover lunch!

I found a recipe that is a total game changer. Cook pasta. Add evaporated milk (amount depends on how much pasta, just add till it looks like the right amount of sauce). Add grated cheese to taste and stir until it's all melted and warmed through. That's your basic macaroni cheese. You can then add whatever extras you want, make a crispy top etc. It's brilliant for camping as it's quick and easy and filling.

Well done for breaking the cycle and cooking for you dc.

No saucepan needed.

Macoroni in simmering, salty water for 10 mins.
While that's cooking make your sauce in a smaller pan.

Drain pasta, keep a little of the water if sauce needs thinning, mix together and put in deep oven dish.

I then put it under the grill for 5-10 mins to crisp up.

If you don’t have stale bread make toast and when it’s cold bash it up in a plastic bag and use instead!

@DrCoconut evaporated milk? Seriously?? Isn't that too sweet

@PuttingOnMyBestBra this is what puts me off instant pot macaroni as I associate evaporated milk with a dessert.

Evaporated milk isn't sweet. I use it for a savoury dip (Kiwi tradition).

Dammit. Wait. That's extra thick cream. Sorry. As you were, I have no idea about evaporated milk.

That's a stew.

No it isn’t...

I use a mature cheddar, a vintage cheddar, some parmazan and maybe one more if there’s any different cheese in the fridge(sometimes truffle cheddar) and I also add a pinch of abrol(?) chillis flakes, just enough to give depth(I don’t like spicy food) sometimes we add onion and/or mushroom/bacon lardons. We are glutinous and service with Swedish meatballs, or sausages with a little garlic bread on the side!

You could do the sauce in an oven proof pan.

That way once you've mixed in the pasta you shove the entire pan in the oven for the top to grill. Saves a baking dish at least

Evaporated milk isn’t sweet. You’re thinking of condensed milk. Evap is just like single cream.

We do a wonderful macaroni cheese (actually that’s a misnomer as we never use macaroni!) every year in late January/early February when we’ve had our fill of cheese and rich foods - basically use up all the remnants including Stilton and whatever else. It’s always fantastic and rounds off the feasting nicely. It’s the perfect tipping point into lighter meals and no more indulging for a while!

Two saucepans. Over proof dish and then top with extra cheese and sliced tomatoes, under the grill. Then serve with hot English mustard.

And if you want to make it the most delicious ever but more for adults, then you need to use Gruyère cheese.