This is a huge favourite in our house. The mustard and bacon add a bit of zing and, goodness knows why, making individual servings feels kinda posh! It’s economical, too, so is a good one to have up your sleeve as you approach the yawning gap in the lead-up to pay day.
Ingredients
- 8 oz (225 g) macaroni
- 480 g jar good-quality béchamel sauce
- 9 oz (250 g) grated frozen mature Cheddar cheese
- 1 heaped tsp Dijon mustard
- 5½ oz (150 g) frozen bacon lardons
- 1¾ oz (50 g) grated Parmesan cheese
How to Make It
- Cook the macaroni according to the packet instructions.
- Meanwhile, pour the béchamel sauce into a saucepan and place it over a medium-low heat.
- Put 200 g (7 oz) of the Cheddar cheese and the mustard into the sauce, and stir well until smooth.
- Preheat the grill on the highest setting.
- When the macaroni is cooked, drain it very well, then return it to the pan. Pour the cheesed-up sauce over it and mix well.
- Divide between 4 ovenproof dishes, each about 15 x 9 cm (6 x 3½ in).
- Sprinkle the lardons evenly between the dishes, then scatter with the remaining Cheddar and the Parmesan.
- Pop under the hot grill. It is ready when the cheese is brown and bubbly. That won’t take longer than 5 minutes, so keep an eye on it and don’t leave the kitchen or take a phone call.
