It's the holy grail of all pasta bakes, so here's how to make an even better version of the traditional family favourite.
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Broccoli mac and cheese
How can mac and cheese get better?
- 1 hr cooking
- Serves 4
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Ingredients
- 280 grams macaroni pasta
- 4 rindless bacon slices (260g), chopped finely
- 50 grams butter
- 1/3 cup (50g) plain flour
- 1 litre (4 cups) milk
- 1 cup (120g) coarsely grated cheddar
- 1/2 cup (40g) finely grated pecorino cheese
- 100 grams mild-tasting blue cheese
- 2 tablespoons wholegrain mustard
- 400 grams broccoli, cut into florets
- 1/3 cup coarsely chopped dry-roasted almonds
Method
- 1Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan. Oil a deep 2-litre (8-cup) ovenproof dish.
- 2Cook pasta in a large saucepan of boiling water for 1½ minutes less than cooking time on the packet; drain. Cook bacon in same pan, stirring, until crisp; drain on paper towel.
- 3Melt butter in same pan, add flour; cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Gradually stir in milk; cook, stirring, until sauce boils and thickens. Stir in cheeses and mustard.
- 4Combine pasta, cheese sauce, bacon, broccoli in a large bowl; pour into ovenproof dish. Dot with a little extra butter. Bake for 30 minutes or until browned. Top with almonds.
Notes
When matching sauces with pasta, a simple rule is the longer the pasta, the thinner the sauce; the shorter the pasta, the thicker or chunkier the sauce.
