The most delicious and easy mac 'n' cheese you will ever make!

Everyone needs their signature macaroni and cheese recipe. Well we have found ours (with a french touch) and want to share it with you.

Mac 'n' cheese (Gratin de macaronis au fromage)

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Serves: 4


Ingredients:

•  300 g  macaroni
• 200 g  Gruyère cheese, grated

For the Béchamel sauce:

• 30 g  butter
• 30 g  flour
• 500 ml  tepid milk
• 1/4 of an peeled onion (do not chop it!)
• 1 clove
• 1 bay leaf
• salt and white pepper
• 1 pinch of a nutmeg

Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the flour to it and beat hard until you have a smooth paste. Take off the heat and leave to cool for 2 minutes. Gradually add the milk, whisking constantly. Place the pan back on the stove over medium heat and add the clove, the bay leaf and the onion. Simmer for 10 minutes, whisking frequently.  If the sauce becomes too thick, whisk in a little more milk.
 
Finish the sauce by removing the clove, bay leaf and the onion (that is the reason, why you shouldn’t have chopped it) out of the sauce and season it to taste with salt and white pepper. Leave to cook slightly.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cook the macaroni according to package instructions.

Strain the noodles and put them in a casserole dish. Save a handful of cheese to sprinkle on the top at the end. Then mix the rest into the warm sauce. Pour the sauce over the pasta and mix until the pasta is well coated. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top ans bake for 20 minutes until bubbly and golden. Serve immediately and enjoy!


*Tip - make sure you add the cheese when the sauce is warm rather than hot. If the sauce is too hot, the fat will separate from the protein and form a layer on top.*