BASIC MACARONI CHEESE

Ingredients

• 250g short macaroni, cooked and well drained

• 60 g butter

• 30 g flour

• 400 ml full cream milk

• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• 100g soft goat's cheese (chevin or chevre)

• 50g pecorino cheese, grated

• 250g portabellini mushrooms, sliced

• a knob of butter

Cooking Instructions

Please the kids and impress the grown-ups with this double whammy that requires only one stint in the kitchen. Preheat the oven to 200°C. To make the basic cheese sauce:

1. In a medium-sized saucepan over a medium heat, melt the butter, then whisk in the flour until smooth.

2. Gradually whisk in the hot milk and cook, whisking, until thick and smooth.

3. Season to taste.

4. Divide the sauce in half. One half for the kids' version and one half for the grown ups' version.

To make the kids' version:

1. Stir 100 g mild Cheddar cheese into the basic cheese sauce and mix in half the macaroni.

2. Turn into 2 or 3 small buttered baking dishes.

3. Sprinkle with more Cheddar, dot with butter (use about 30 g) and place the dishes onto a baking tray.

4. Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden and bubbly.

Grown-ups' version:

1. Stir 100 g goat’s-milk cheese (chevin) and 25 g grated pecorino into the basic cheese sauce and mix in half the macaroni, together with 250 g sliced and sautéed mushrooms.

2. Turn the mixture into a buttered baking dish and sprinkle with extra pecorino cheese.

#macandcheese