Jalapeño mac ‘n’ cheese

Ingredients

200g dried macaroni or similar tube-shape pasta
25g unsalted butter
1 garlic clove, unpeeled, bashed
1 bay leaf
2 tbsp plain flour
175ml whole milk
100g strong cheddar, grated
50g monterey jack cheese, grated
1 tsp American mustard
1-2 jalapeño chillies, seeds removed and sliced
Handful broken tortilla chips

Ingredients

200g dried macaroni or similar tube-shape pasta
25g unsalted butter
1 garlic clove, unpeeled, bashed
1 bay leaf
2 tbsp plain flour
175ml whole milk
100g strong cheddar, grated
50g monterey jack cheese, grated
1 tsp American mustard
1-2 jalapeño chillies, seeds removed and sliced
Handful broken tortilla chips

Method

Heat the oven to 200°C/fan180°C/gas 6. Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to the boil, then cook the pasta until al dente according to the pack instructions. Drain, rinse under cold running water, then drain again and set aside.
Melt the butter in a large pan over a low-medium heat, add the garlic and bay leaf, then stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes. Gradually add the milk, stirring, until thick and saucy. Remove and discard the garlic and bay leaf. Stir the grated cheeses and mustard into the sauce until melted, stringy and thick. Add the sliced chillies and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Put the pasta in a 500ml ovenproof dish, pour over the sauce, then scatter over the broken tortilla chips. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden and bubbling.

Method

Heat the oven to 200°C/fan180°C/gas 6. Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to the boil, then cook the pasta until al dente according to the pack instructions. Drain, rinse under cold running water, then drain again and set aside.
Melt the butter in a large pan over a low-medium heat, add the garlic and bay leaf, then stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes. Gradually add the milk, stirring, until thick and saucy. Remove and discard the garlic and bay leaf. Stir the grated cheeses and mustard into the sauce until melted, stringy and thick. Add the sliced chillies and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Put the pasta in a 500ml ovenproof dish, pour over the sauce, then scatter over the broken tortilla chips. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden and bubbling.

delicious. tips

Monterey jack is a mild, creamy cow’s milk cheese from the US. If you can’t get it, opt for a mild cheese that melts easily, such as mozzarella or edam.
Slice a little off the end of a jalapeño chilli and hold it against your tongue. If it’s blazing hot, you may just want to use 1 chilli.

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