Mac 'n' Cheese

   Original recipe: http://www.healthyfood.co.nz/recipes/2006/october/mac-n-cheese

   Ingredients:

• 400g dried macaroni elbows 
• (you can substitute with spirals or penne, which
•  are short pasta tubes)
• 75g bacon, fat and rind removed
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons plain flour
• 700ml reduced-fat milk
• 100g grated edam cheese, plus a little extra for 
• sprinkling
• 1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese 
• (don't worry - it can be left out)
• salt and pepper

Instructions

Step 1Preheat the oven to 190ºC.

Step 2Bring 4 litres of water to boil in a large saucepan. Add a teaspoon of salt and boil the pasta for 10 minutes, or according to manufacturer’s instructions.

Step 3While the pasta is cooking, prepare the sauce. Cut the bacon into small pieces and cook it in a medium saucepan with a little of the oil. When the bacon is beginning to brown, remove it from the pan and set it aside.

Step 4Melt the butter and remaining oil in the pan the bacon was cooked in, then use a whisk to mix the flour into the melted fats. Gradually whisk in the milk, adding it a little at a time, whisking well after each addition to ensure a lump-free sauce. When all the milk has been added return the bacon to the pan and using a wooden spoon, stir the sauce over a gentle heat until it thickens. Don’t let it boil and stir using circular and figure-of-eight motions so the sauce doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. This may take 5-10 minutes. When thick enough to coat the back of the wooden spoon, stir in the grated cheese and parmesan and add some salt and pepper. You should taste it now to check the seasoning, then stir the cooked and drained pasta into the sauce.

Step 5Tip the mixture into a heatproof dish, top with additional grated cheese and bake for 20 minutes or until golden on top.

Variations

• Omit the bacon or add some fried onion.
• Try breadcrumbs or slices of tomato on the top.