Consigliere
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- 12 Jun 2004
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As topic. 
Something quick and easy obvs.
Something quick and easy obvs.
Cheese sauce for pasta - recipe suggestions?
- Thread starter SideWinder
- Start date
That's not a recipe, that's just a list of random words.
How about giving him some quantities along with a method and any ingredient specifics?
Alternatively, SideWinder could try this sauce.
Ingredients:
20g unsalted butter.
20g plain flour.
300ml milk.
125g grated cheddar/assorted cheeses
25g grated parmesan.
1 tsp English mustard (optional)
Method:
1. Melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat until it is just starting to bubble. Add the flour and quickly stir (or whisk) to form a roux, making sure to incorporate all the flour into the melted butter.
2. Continue stirring/whisking for 5 minutes until the flour has cooked out and the colour of the mixture has darkened slightly. You should be able to feel the 'grainy' texture of the mixture dissipate as it cooks.
3. Slowly add the milk, ensuring you stir/whisk all the time. Be careful when initially adding the milk in as the roux will instantly thicken and you can ruin things at this stage. Be careful, go slow and keep the mixture moving as you slowly add the rest of the milk.
4. Cook for 10-15 minutes until you have a thickened yet smooth and flowing sauce. Remove from the heat and slowly add the grated cheese whilst stirring continuously, then add the mustard (if using).
5. Once all the cheese has been incorporated check the seasoning and adjust as necessary. Then return the pan to the heat and bring the sauce up to your desired temperature.
6. Finally, add your cooked pasta to the sauce or vice-versa. Serve immediately.
You should use room temperature or slightly heated milk - not straight from the fridge or the moment it hits the roux it'll go lumpy and it'll be seeing the bottom of the bin.
When making roux for a white sauce only cook the roux until it no longer smells of flour, then start adding the milk. Certainly if it starts to change colour get the milk in there.
Also, after the initial phase of lumpiness is whisked out of the way bring the mixture to the boil before adding more milk. The consistency of the final sauce will only be apparent when it is bubbling. This way you know when you have added enough milk and will be sure that it wont become overly claggy/thick when served.
Add a grating of nutmeg to that white sauce with the cheese too. Also, make the sauce just a little thinner than you would want before you add the cheese as the cheese will thicken it further.
It may sound like a hassle to make this sauce but really, it only takes about 10 minutes and is well worth it.
Mmmm Mac Chee
When making roux for a white sauce only cook the roux until it no longer smells of flour, then start adding the milk. Certainly if it starts to change colour get the milk in there.
Also, after the initial phase of lumpiness is whisked out of the way bring the mixture to the boil before adding more milk. The consistency of the final sauce will only be apparent when it is bubbling. This way you know when you have added enough milk and will be sure that it wont become overly claggy/thick when served.
Add a grating of nutmeg to that white sauce with the cheese too. Also, make the sauce just a little thinner than you would want before you add the cheese as the cheese will thicken it further.
It may sound like a hassle to make this sauce but really, it only takes about 10 minutes and is well worth it.
Mmmm Mac Chee
Last edited:
Mega Mac Chee:
You'll need;
Some unsmoked Bacon Bits or Pancetta cubes
A clove of garlic
A handful of Chopped Chives
Some dried macaroni
Some spring onions
Equal weights of butter and flour and some milk (50grammes of butter and 50 grammes of flour per pint of milk or there abouts)
CHEEESE - Mature cheddar is good, try mixing red Leicester or Wensleydale etc, experiment!
Some vine Tomatoes
A shaving of nutmeg
Salt and Pepper.
First cook your macaroni in water with a little olive oil according to the packet instructions but minus 2 minutes cooking time. Drain.
Slice your spring onions. In a frying pan add a little oil and fry the pancetta/bacon until the fat is starting to render out. Turn down the heat add a knob of butter and throw in the sliced spring onions and diced garlic clove. Cook for about 4 minutes until the onions are starting to soften then drain the fat and set aside.
Meanwhile, in a sauce pan, put it on a low heat and throw in the butter. As soon as it has melted throw in the flour and whisk until smooth. Cook it very gently for about 3-4 minutes untill its starting to sizzle a little bit then throw in 2 ladels of milk and whisk. As it becomes thick continue to add the milk a ladel full at a time until you get consitency of double cream. as the milk warms the sauce will become thicker. Top tip; when you start getting bubbles coming through this is as thick as it will get when cooked. It should not be too thick, like say a pie filling because it will thicken more when you add the cheese.
When you are happy with the white sauce, have a good consistency and its slightly bubbling, grate your cheese (I use equal amounts of Red Leicester and mature cheddar) and throw it in bit by bit whisking until it has melted. Taste it for cheesyness as you go along, add more to taste.
Chop your chives and throw them in and stir. Add a small grating of nutmeg and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Lightly butter an oven proof dish and put your cooked macaroni in. Put the bacon and spring onions in and mix it up. Pour sauce over the top mix again and sprinkle with grated cheese (good to use parmesan here if you have it).
Finally top with a string of on the vine tomatoes (small ones) and bake in the oven until the tomatoes have roasted and the mac chee is bubbling.
Serve immediately, with garlic bread if you like.
You'll need;
Some unsmoked Bacon Bits or Pancetta cubes
A clove of garlic
A handful of Chopped Chives
Some dried macaroni
Some spring onions
Equal weights of butter and flour and some milk (50grammes of butter and 50 grammes of flour per pint of milk or there abouts)
CHEEESE - Mature cheddar is good, try mixing red Leicester or Wensleydale etc, experiment!
Some vine Tomatoes
A shaving of nutmeg
Salt and Pepper.
First cook your macaroni in water with a little olive oil according to the packet instructions but minus 2 minutes cooking time. Drain.
Slice your spring onions. In a frying pan add a little oil and fry the pancetta/bacon until the fat is starting to render out. Turn down the heat add a knob of butter and throw in the sliced spring onions and diced garlic clove. Cook for about 4 minutes until the onions are starting to soften then drain the fat and set aside.
Meanwhile, in a sauce pan, put it on a low heat and throw in the butter. As soon as it has melted throw in the flour and whisk until smooth. Cook it very gently for about 3-4 minutes untill its starting to sizzle a little bit then throw in 2 ladels of milk and whisk. As it becomes thick continue to add the milk a ladel full at a time until you get consitency of double cream. as the milk warms the sauce will become thicker. Top tip; when you start getting bubbles coming through this is as thick as it will get when cooked. It should not be too thick, like say a pie filling because it will thicken more when you add the cheese.
When you are happy with the white sauce, have a good consistency and its slightly bubbling, grate your cheese (I use equal amounts of Red Leicester and mature cheddar) and throw it in bit by bit whisking until it has melted. Taste it for cheesyness as you go along, add more to taste.
Chop your chives and throw them in and stir. Add a small grating of nutmeg and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Lightly butter an oven proof dish and put your cooked macaroni in. Put the bacon and spring onions in and mix it up. Pour sauce over the top mix again and sprinkle with grated cheese (good to use parmesan here if you have it).
Finally top with a string of on the vine tomatoes (small ones) and bake in the oven until the tomatoes have roasted and the mac chee is bubbling.
Serve immediately, with garlic bread if you like.