Truffled Mac'n'Cheese — With Love, Kate

On a wet and dreary grey day in March, we were in dire need of something comforting to fuel our movie marathon. Enter Williams Sonoma Truffled Mac and Cheese. This delicious recipe was a breeze to follow, and with a couple additions of my own, has become a go-to dish in times of need.

25 minutes prep, 25 minutes in the oven, serves 2

INGREDIENTS

2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp good quality truffle oil
400g macaroni (or another curly) pasta
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp sweet paprika
1/2 dijon mustard
1 cup full fat milk
1/4 cup full fat milk mixed with a 1/4 cup of cream
1 cup grated gruyère cheese
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
2 tbsp chopped chives
1/2 cup of panko breadcrumbs (mixed with a bit of sea salt)
sea salt & freshly ground pepper

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 190℃. Grease a 2-person oven-proof pie dish.

2. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil, adding the macaroni and cooking until just about al dente. There should still be some chewiness to the pasta. Drain and transfer to a large bowl, drizzling with the truffle oil and stirring.

3. Bring the saucepan back to a medium-high heat, and melt the 2 tbsp of butter. Add the flour, paprika and mustard and cook, stirring well, until all the flour is combined. This should take about 2-3 minutes.

4. Add in the milk slowly, making sure the mixture doesn’t get lumpy. Whisk in the milk, the milk and cream mixture and a pinch of salt, bringing to a boil. Simmer and continue to whisk to smooth any lumps, for about 5 minutes

5. Remove from the heat, adding the pepper and cheeses. Stir until smooth. Add minced chives.

6. Lay the macaroni into the baking dish, and pour the cheese sauce on top.

7. Sprinkle with breadcrumb mixture, and bake for about 25 minutes, until lightly browned and bubbly. Stand for 5 minutes before serving.