Name: Broccoli mac and cheese
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 4
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

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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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

1.Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan. Oil a deep 2-litre (8-cup) ovenproof dish.

2.Cook 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.

3.Melt 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.

4.Combine 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.

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.
Note

Women's Weekly Food

Trusted by home cooks for 90 years, The Australian Women’s Weekly’s Test Kitchen and cookbooks hold a singular place in shaping home cooking within the Australian culinary landscape. Today, the AWW Test Kitchen in Sydney is a thriving hub for food content, connected to two bustling photographic studios where a talented team of Australia’s best recipe developers, art directors, editors and photographers create our world class food content. Our recipes are thoroughly tested and tasted and given the Test Kitchen tick of approval, guaranteeing you’ll get great results in your home kitchen.

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Sophia Young Food & Editorial Director - Books