Four Cheese Sriracha Mac & Cheese
A creamy, baked four cheese mac & cheese that's full of sriracha for a kick of spice! Super cheesy, with a crispy top, this one's a real winner.
Servings: 6 Portions
Equipment
- Large Saucepans
- Cheese Grater
- Stick Blender
- 10" Ovenproof Dish
- Baking Tray
Ingredients
- 350 g Dried Macaroni
Cheeses
- 200 g Red Leicester
- 100 g Mature Cheddar/Gruyere
- 75 g Parmesan
- 150 g Low Moisture Mozzarella
Sauce
- 75 g Unsalted Butter
- 60 g Plain Flour
- ½ tsp Smoked Paprika
- ½ tsp Garlic Powder
- ¼ tsp Cayenne Pepper
- 800 ml Whole Milk
- 500 ml Chicken Stock Or Veg Stock
- 40 g Sriracha
To Top
- 35 g Panko Breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Preheat an oven to 200°c/180°c fan (392°f/356°f).
- Next, grate the red Leicester, cheddar & parmesan and place into a mixing bowl. Chop the mozzarella into small pieces then add into the bowl & mix the cheeses together. Set aside for now.
Sauce
- Place the butter into a large saucepan then cook over a medium heat until melted.
- Next, stir in the plain flour, smoked paprika, garlic powder & cayenne pepper then cook out for a minute, stirring constantly.
- Add in half the milk then whisk until smooth. Cook out until thick, whisking/stirring regularly. This will take 2-3 minutes over a medium heat.
- Pour in the remaining milk & keep cooking until thickened again.
- Now add in half the chicken stock & reduce the heat to medium-low. Continue cooking, stirring/whisking regularly until the sauce has thickened back up.
- Pour in the rest of the stock then keep cooking until the flour has been cooked out & the sauce has thickened for a final time. It should be slightly thicker than double cream.
- Once the sauce has cooked out, add in the sriracha & ⅔ of the mixed cheese. Stir until melted then take the pan off the heat.
- Season the sauce with salt & pepper, give it a quick blitz with a stick blender then set aside whilst you cook the macaroni.Blitzing the sauce is optional but gives it a smoother finish!
Macaroni
- Fill a large saucepan up with water, cover with a lid then set over a high heat.
- Bring the water to the boil then add in a large pinch of salt. Add in the macaroni, stir to stop it sticking together then cook until the pasta is cooked slightly less than al dente. The best way to do this, is to cook the pasta for 2 minutes less than specified on it's packaging.
Assembly & Baking
- Once the pasta is cooked, use a slotted spoon to transfer it into the cheese sauce, along with a good splash of pasta water. Stir to combine then transfer to a 10" ovenproof dish.
- Mix the panko breadcrumbs into the remaining ⅓ of cheese then sprinkle over the mac & cheese.
- Place the dish onto a baking tray then bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until the top is crisp & golden and the sauce is bubbling.
- Let the mac & cheese stand for a couple of minutes then spoon into bowls & serve.
Notes
1. Cooking On An Aga - Cook the sauce using the simmering plate, cook the pasta on the boiling plate then cook the mac & cheese in the centre of the roasting oven.
2. Cheese - Make sure to grate your own cheese as the pre shredded stuff won't melt as well. I'd also recommend using a low moisture block of mozzarella instead of mozzarella balls. If you'd prefer to use different cheeses, feel free. Goat's cheese or brie would make some good alternatives.
3. Sauce - Once cooked, the sauce can either be used straight away or cooled down & stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. If refrigerating, the sauce will need a good 5 minutes on the stove to heat back up.
4. Making In Advance - To make mac & cheese in advance, cook the sauce & pasta then store them both separately in the fridge (coat the pasta in a small amount of flavourless oil, to stop it sticking together) for up to 3 days.
To assemble, warm the sauce back up on the stove (add a splash of water if necessarily) then mix in the pasta. Bake in the oven as specified in the recipe. 5. Stock - I like to use chicken stock for it's deep, meaty flavour but feel free to use veg stock instead, if you'd prefer. A stock cube dissolved in 500ml of boiling water is best!
To assemble, warm the sauce back up on the stove (add a splash of water if necessarily) then mix in the pasta. Bake in the oven as specified in the recipe. 5. Stock - I like to use chicken stock for it's deep, meaty flavour but feel free to use veg stock instead, if you'd prefer. A stock cube dissolved in 500ml of boiling water is best!