Serves 8-10
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For the topping:

For the mac ‘n’ cheese:

  1. For the crumb topping, melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs and stir to combine. Cook for 1-2 minutes until the crumbs are slightly toasted, then transfer to a bowl and set aside.
  2. Preheat the oven to 200˚C/180˚C fan/gas mark 6.
  3. Slice the top third off the head of garlic, cutting the tips off the individual cloves. Place the bottom of the head on a square of tin foil, drizzle with olive oil and season it with salt and pepper. Place the top back on the head of garlic and close the foil over the top, crumpling it together to create a sealed packet, leaving a bit of space around the garlic. Roast for 30 minutes.
  4. Remove the roasted garlic from the oven. When cool enough to handle, squeeze the cloves out of their skins into a bowl. Use a fork to mash the cloves into a paste. Set aside.
  5. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain well, reserving 120ml of the cooking water. Butter a 23 x 33cm shallow baking dish.
  6. Melt the butter in a large, heavy pot over a medium-low heat. Stir in the flour and garlic paste and cook, stirring constantly, for three minutes until golden.
  7. Whisk in the milk and bring the sauce to a boil, whisking constantly. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 3-4 minutes. Stir in the grated Cheddar and Parmesan, the mustard and some salt and pepper until well combined.
  8. Add the pasta and the reserved pasta water, stirring to combine. Transfer the macaroni and cheese to the buttered baking dish.
  9. Sprinkle with the crumb topping and place it on a large baking tray. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden and bubbling.

Note:
Other short pasta can be used as an alternative to macaroni, if you wish.
Vegetarian cheese can be used as an alternative to Parmesan, if you wish.

Nutrition Facts

Per Serving 635kcals, 30.7g fat (16.6g saturated), 58.2g carbs, 7.4g sugars, 31.8g protein, 1.1g fibre, 0.804g sodium