Most of us would sell our souls for a bowl of mac ’n’ cheese, happily disregarding good intentions. So I hope that this alternative version in which a tomato sauce replaces the usual rich white one will win friends. You still get generous pockets of gooey cheese, and a lovely crispy top, but it is altogether fresher. The gold standard here involves making your own slowcooked sauce, and I would up the quantity, as it freezes beautifully. But otherwise, a couple of tubs of a good ready-made tomato sauce will still turn out a decent mac ’n’ cheese.
Yields 6 Servings
occasions
Dinnerdairy ingredients
Butter, CheeseVery tomatoey Mac ’N’ Cheese
INGREDIENTS
Speedy ingredients checklist
Slowly does it ingredients checklist
DIRECTIONS
Speedy ingredients checklist
1
Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil, and preheat the oven to 190°C fan/210°C/ gas mark 61⁄2. Add the macaroni to the pan, give it a stir and cook until almost tender, then drain it into a colander and return it to the pan.
2
Toss with the tomato sauce and mix in the sun-dried tomatoes and the gruyère. Transfer to a 30cm oval gratin or other similar-sized ovenproof dish. You could also make it in large individual bowls, so each one serves two.
3
Toss the cocktail tomatoes with the oil and seasoning and scatter over, then top with the Parmesan. Bake for 30–35 minutes until golden and sizzling.
Slowly does it ingredients checklist
4
Place the tomatoes in a medium saucepan, cover and cook over a low heat for 20–30 minutes, stirring them occasionally, until they collapse. Pass through a sieve or a mouli-légumes and return to the pan, washing it out if necessary. Add the butter, 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and some seasoning. Bring to the boil and simmer very gently, uncovered, for 35–40 minutes until thickened but still of a thin pouring consistency, stirring towards the end. The sauce can be prepared in advance, in which case cover and set aside.
5
Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and preheat the oven to 190°C fan/210°C/gas mark 61⁄2. Add the pasta to the pan, give it a stir and cook until almost tender, then drain it into a colander and return it to the pan.
6
Toss with the sauce and mix in the sun-dried tomatoes and the Comté.
7
Transfer to a 30cm oval gratin or other similar-sized ovenproof dish. Toss the cocktail tomatoes with the remaining oil and a little seasoning and scatter over, then top with the Parmesan. Bake for 30–35 minutes until golden and sizzling.
