Sundried Tomato Macaroni Cheese
Van Hunks challenged me to create 3 recipes to pair with their sparkling mead.
This is number 1!
I’d never tried sparkling mead before so honestly had no idea what to expect, but the Van Hunks Brut Sparkling Mead was truly delicious. Dry and light, the delicate bubbles work beautifully with rich, creamy cheeses… so!
(This recipe was part of a paid Instagram campaign/AD)
Sundried Tomato Macaroni Cheese
Ingredients
300g macaroni
90g cheddar
90g gruyere
50g parmesan
20g plain flour
20g butter
350ml whole milk
60g white breadcrumbs
12 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
Large dish
Method
Bring a large pan of water with added salt to the boil, and add the macaroni. Cook until just al dente - probably a minute or two less than the instructions state.
Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4.
While the pasta is cooking, grate the cheese into a bowl and mix all three together.
Melt the butter in a saucepan and when just beginning to froth, add the flour. Mix well and allow to cook out for one minute.
Add a trickle of milk and mix until thoroughly incorporated, then continue adding a bit at a time and mixing in fully, until half of the milk has been incorporated. Once this stage is reached, add the milk in larger quantities until you’ve finished it all.
Heat the saucepan until it simmers and cooking for a few minutes, then take off the heat. Add 3/4 of the grated cheese to the pan and stir until completely melted. Taste and season accordingly.
Add the pasta to the sauce and mix well, then add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes and mix again. Decant into your dish and flatten so it fits all the corners.
Mix the breadcrumbs into the remaining cheese, and sprinkle on top of the dish, then place in the oven. Cook for 15-20 minutes, until golden on top and just beginning to brown.
