Name: Baked mac and cheese
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 6–8 as a side
Cuisine: Australian
Ingredients: 250 g macaroni; 15 g (1 tbsp) unsalted butter; Topping: 40 g (⅔ cup) panko breadcrumbs; 30 g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter, melted; ¼ tsp salt; Sauce: 60 g (4 tbsp) unsalted butter; 50 g (⅓ cup) plain flour; 750 ml (3 cups) warm milk; 200 g (2 cups) freshly grated Gruyère or cheddar; 100 g (1 cup) freshly grated mozzarella; ¾ tsp salt; Optional: 1 tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp onion powder, ½ tsp mustard powder

Method

Cook macaroni 1 minute less than packet; drain. Toss with 1 tbsp butter; set aside. Mix topping.
Heat oven to 180°C. Melt sauce butter; cook flour 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk; cook 5–8 minutes until creamy. Stir in salt and optional seasonings.
Off heat, stir in cheeses. Mix sauce through pasta; transfer to a baking dish. Sprinkle topping.
Bake 25 minutes until light golden. Serve immediately.

Tip: Grate cheese yourself for a silky sauce. Don’t bake too long or the sauce dries out.