Mac and Cheese with Bell Pepper Crust Recipe
Mac and cheese, macaroni cheese or simply macaroni: whatever it may be known as, it has become a very popular creation in many different countries around the world. Mac and cheese is not difficult to make but sometimes it is nice to add something a little extra to it to give it a bit of variety and stop your enjoyment of it, if not the actual dish, becoming stale. This recipe sees a simple crust of cheese and breadcrumbs, infused with diced bell peppers, scattered over the top of the mac and cheese before it is browned and crisped in just a couple of minutes under the over head grill or broiler.
List of Ingredients
Cook Time
Ingredients
- 8oz dried macaroni pasta
- 10 fl oz milk
- 4oz cheddar cheese, grated - 2oz for sauce, 2oz for crust
- 1oz butter
- 1 tbsp plain/all purpose flour
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- 4 tbsp fresh breadcrumbs
- ½ red bell pepper, de-seeded and diced
- ½ green bell pepper, de-seeded and diced
- Salt and pepper
Preparation and Cooking Instructions
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- The macaroni should be added to a pot of boiling, lightly salted water and simmered for ten minutes.
- Put the milk, 2oz of the cheese, the butter, flour and nutmeg in to a pot. Nutmeg is an excellent addition to cheese sauce, giving it a very welcome little extra spiciness. Bring to a gentle simmer stirring with a wooden spoon, until the butter and cheese is melted and the sauce starts to thicken. This will only take a few minutes.
- Drain the macaroni and pour it in to the sauce. Fold it through with the wooden spoon and pour the mix in to what will become your serving dish.
- Mix the breadcrumbs, remaining cheese and peppers in a bowl with seasoning. Scatter carefully and evenly over the mac and cheese.
- Heat under an overhead grill or broiler until the topping is crisp and golden and the cheese is melted.
Serving Suggestion and Potential Recipe Variations
This mac and cheese recipes could of course be served on its own but it's delicious with some simple salad vegetables. In the instance below, it was served with fresh rocket leaves/arugula, tomato and sliced radish.
Looking to vary your recipe still further? For an incredibly easy variation, try using pasta shells or twirls instead of the macaroni.
