Live the American dream with star-spangled cheesy mac, inspired by classic US diners.
Ingredients
- 700g broccoli, cut into small florets
- 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 60ml (1/4 cup) olive oil
- 400g macaroni
- 60g butter
- 1 leek, white part only, finely chopped
- 50g (1/3 cup) plain flour
- 800ml milk
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 300g cheese, grated
- 70g water crackers or other plain savoury crackers, roughly crushed
Method
- Step 1Preheat oven to 220C. Toss broccoli, garlic and oil in a roasting pan. Season with salt and pepper, then roast for 15 minutes or until broccoli is lightly charred and almost tender.
- Step 2Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large saucepan of boiling water for 2 minutes less than the cooking time given on the packet; it should be firmer than al dente. Drain, then place in a large bowl.
- Step 3Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add leek and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until softened. Add flour and stir until grainy. Remove pan from heat, then gradually stir in milk until smooth and combined. Return pan to heat and stir for 5 minutes or until mixture boils and thickens. Remove from heat, stir in mustard and 250g cheese, then season.
- Step 4Add cheese mixture and broccoli to pasta, and toss to coat. Transfer pasta mixture to a 1.5L ovenproof dish or divide among 6 x 375ml (1 1/2-cup) ovenproof dishes. Scatter with cracker crumbs and remaining 50g cheese, then bake for 20 minutes for large dish or 15 minutes for individual dishes, or until golden and warmed through. Serve immediately.
- Vegetarian
Nutrition
3399 kj
Energy
42g
Fat Total
22g
Saturated Fat
33g
Protein
580.76mg
Sodium
10g
Carbs (sugar)
73g
Carbs (total)
Notes
For the best result, use a combination of different cheeses – a strong-tasting cheese with one that has a bit of stretch. We recommend the following, using 125g of each type for the sauce and 25g of each to scatter on top: fontina and gruyere; cheddar and gruyere; cheddar and parmesan; or blue cheese and mozzarella. Or, use all cheddar.
Add-ons: Tomato: slice 2 roma tomatoes. place over pasta mixture before scattering with cracker crumbs.
Chorizo: slice 2 chorizo sausages and roast with broccoli.
- Author: Sophia Young
- Image credit: Steve Brown
- Publication: MasterChef