I’ll admit, my cheese sauce is nearer cheese fondue than cheese sauce, but I reckon that cheese sauce needs to taste of cheese, not hint at it. Unless macaroni cheese tastes of cheese, I see no point in making it. None at all. In fact, I’m getting twitchy at the thought of it.

There’s only one thing better than macaroni cheese and that’s macaroni cheese with bacon in it. Walk this way…

Preheat oven to GM8/250C/450F

Put 1 tsp oil into a small frying pan and fry the bacon until it is golden and delicious. Turn off the heat and leave to one side.

Put the pasta into the boiling water and set the timer for the minimum cooking time suggested.

Get a small saucepan and melt 1 3/4 oz salted butter

Add 3 1/2 tbsp plain flour and 1 tsp mustard powder. Stir it in to make a paste and cook for a couple of minutes to ‘cook out’ the flour.

Take the saucepan off the heat and start to add the milk. Once you’ve blended in about half of it, return the pan to the heat and continue stirring, adding the rest of the milk.
Continue to cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens. Add a pinch of salt and some white pepper.

Once it thickens, turn off the heat and add 4 1/2 oz  grated cheddar. It will melt into the sauce by itself and can sit and wait for you.

Drain the al dente pasta and put it into a casserole dish. Add the cooked bacon and stir to combine.

Give the cheese sauce a stir, check the seasoning and pour it over the top. Give the whole thing a good stir.

Sprinkle some more cheddar over the top and put into the oven for about 15-20 mins.

Turn the oven off and turn the grill. Put the dish under the grill until golden, frazzled and irresistible.
(If you don’t have a grill, just leave it in the oven for longer, but make sure the dish is at the top of the oven for maximum heat!)

Ready?

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Mmmmmmmmmmmmm

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Bacon Macaroni Cheese

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125g bacon bits, or chopped streaky bacon

1 3/4 oz salted butter
3 1/2 tbsp plain flour
1 tsp mustard powder
400ml/14 fl oz milk

4 1/2 oz cheddar, grated plus more to sprinkle over the top
s+p

200g penne or any other pasta shape.

Preheat oven to GM8/250C/450F

Put 1 tsp oil into a small frying pan and fry the bacon until it is golden and delicious. Turn off the heat and leave to one side.

Boil water for the pasta and put it in to cook for the minimum recommended time. It will be al dente when cooked.

Whilst the pasta cooks, in a small saucepan, melt the butter.
Add the flour and mustard powder, stir well on the heat to make a paste. Cook, stirring for a couple of minutes.
Take the saucepan off the heat and start to add the milk. Once you’ve blended in about half of it, return the pan to the heat and continue stirring, adding the rest of the milk.
Continue to cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens. Add a pinch of salt and some white pepper.
Once it thickens, turn off the heat and add the grated cheese. It will melt into the sauce by itself and can sit and wait for you.

Drain the al dente pasta and put it into a casserole dish. Add the cooked bacon and stir to combine.
Give the cheese sauce a stir, check the seasoning and pour it over the top. Give the whole thing a good stir.

Sprinkle some more cheddar over the top and put into the oven for about 15-20 mins.
Turn the oven off and turn the grill. Put the dish under the grill until golden, frazzled and irresistible.
(If you don’t have a grill, just leave it in the oven for longer, but make sure the dish is at the top of the oven for maximum heat!)