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How to transform a plain macaroni and cheese into a stunning, filling dish. A soft, melting but deliciously stringy cheese accompanies the macaroni and bite sized pieces of pancetta or bacon – absolutely yummy and full of flavor. It can be made in advance and the crispy bread crumb topping put on just before reheating – temptingly tasty and wholesome! Use as many combinations of your favorite cheeses as you want. Blue cheese will give the macaroni that extra ‘bite’. If you want to pack your macaroni with more texture, add some diced peppers with the onions.

Serves: 8
Preparation Time: 30 minutes (including cooking macaroni)
Cook Time: 20 minutes for finishing in the oven

INGREDIENTS:

2 tbsp olive oil
2 oz butter
1 lb macaroni or elbow pasta
70 oz of good quality shop-bought fresh white sauce (or make your own!)
5 oz cheddar-style cheese, grated
3 oz fresh parmesan, grated
3½ oz gruyere cheese, grated
3½ oz mozzarella, pulled into pieces
1 tbsp yellow mustard
1 tbsp ground black pepper
7 oz pancetta, cubed or bacon, diced
2 white onions, finely diced
7 oz button mushrooms, roughly chopped
9 oz breadcrumbs from a day old loaf
4 medium sized tomatoes, sliced (optional)

METHOD:

Heat oven to 350°F/180°C/Gas mark 4. (Do this on the day you are actually going to serve, in order to heat the pasta dish through and brown the breadcrumb mix.)

In a frying pan, fry off the pancetta or bacon. Once cooked, turn down the heat, add a little olive oil and gently soften the onions and mushrooms in the same pan. Set aside.

Cook the pasta as per packet instructions until al dente. Drain and wash off the excess gluten.

Gently heat the white sauce in the largest pan you have, and one by one add the mixture of cheeses, excluding the mozzarella. Add the mustard, continue to heat (do not allow to boil) mixing well to combine all ingredients.  Season to taste.

Put the pasta into the sauce and mix well. Add the pancetta, onion and mushroom mix. In a large rectangular baking dish, pour in the pasta and sauce mix and evenly mix.

At this stage, you can refrigerate for the next day. When you are ready to cook or reheat, dredge the breadcrumbs over, dot with mozzarella cheese and butter pieces.  Arrange tomato slices on top (optional) and a couple of shakes of dried herbs (optional). Cook for 20 minutes in the oven at 325°F/160°C/Gas mark 3.

Serve bubbling hot with the rest of the meal.