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Macaroni Cheese
This recipe is in categories Healthy eating, Main courses, Snacks,
About this recipe:
Difficulty: 2
Comments: Boiling the macaroni requires care, as does using the oven
Preparation Time: 5-10 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 min + 20 mins
Number of servings: 2
Serving suggestions: With some fresh green salad for a healthy lunch
This is a vegetarian recipe
Macaroni Cheese is a very old dish. There are versions of it going back to the 14th century at least. There is a rich Edwardian version in the History Cookbook, called "Macaroni au Gratin".
This one is much simpler and has probably been made in the homes of ordinary people in a similar way, since the Middle Ages.
Macaroni cheese is homely 'comfort food' - warm, tasty and easy to eat - a favourite with nearly everybody.
Ingredients
- 200g (8oz) macaroni
- 112g ( 4½oz) grated cheese
- 30ml (2 tablespoons) milk/stock
- salt and pepper
- 25g (1oz) butter (optional)
Making and cooking it
- Pre heat the oven to 190°C/375°f/Gas Mark 5
- Bring a pan of water to the boil
- Put macaroni into the boiling water with a little salt
- Boil for approx 10mins or until soft
- When cooked, drain
- Meanwhile, grease an ovenproof dish with butter
- Grate the cheese
- When the Macaroni is cooked and drained, its time to put it all together
- Layer the cooked macaroni and then the cheese in the dish in alternate layers
- Finish with a cheese layer
- Dot with butter (if using) and sprinkle pepper on top
- Pour the milk/stock over the macaroni
- Cook in the oven for 15/20 mins until top is brown and cheese melted
If it is made earlier and cooked from cold, allow 30/40mins cooking time
Some people cook the macaroni in milk or stock (or a mixture) and save it when draining the macaroni and use some of it, to pour over at instruction 11