MACARONI CHEESE

Mustard powder is ideal for this but if you only have a jar of readymade,
whisk a spoonful into the sauce once you’ve added the milk.
(If you don’t have macaroni any other pasta shapes will do.)
I find it hard to give precise quantities for a cheese sauce
because I never measure the quantities when I make it myself, but
you won’t go far wrong with these and you can always whisk in a
little more milk at the end if you think the sauce is too thick. And
although you’re supposed to add the grated cheese to the finished
sauce I throw the whole lot in with the milk and it works just fine.
Macaroni or pasta shapes
2 oz (50 g) butter or margarine
2tbsp plain flour
1 oz (25 g) cheese
1 pint (500 ml) milk
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp mustard powder
Black pepper
Method
1. Put the macaroni in a saucepan of slightly salted boiling water
and simmer steadily for about 15 minutes in the usual way, or
according to the instructions on the packet.
2. Melt the butter or margarine in a saucepan over a low heat
while you sift the flour, mustard powder and nutmeg together.
3. Stir the flour mixture into the melted fat with a wooden spoon
and keep stirring for a couple of minutes until the paste is shiny
and slipping away from the bottom of the pan.
4. Add the milk, grated cheese and black pepper and keep beating the
sauce to prevent lumps forming – or make it easy on yourself to
begin with by using a small hand whisk instead of a wooden spoon.
5. Drain the cooked macaroni and put it in a lightly buttered
ovenproof dish then cover with the cheese sauce and pop it in
the oven at Gas Mark 7 (220ºC) or under a preheated grill for
a couple of minutes until it browns and bubbles.
6. Serve with grilled crispy bacon, grilled tomatoes and spinach.