Macaroni cheese

Babiche Martens

This macaroni served with oozing hot melted cheese and a hint of fresh lemon and thyme, is economical and delicious — especially on a cold winter’s day. This is also a great way to use up all those annoying small bits of cheese that get left in the back of the fridge. I also like to add feta or blue cheese if there is any around.

Ingredients

50 g	Butter
½	Onions, chopped finely
1	Garlic clove, crushed
4 rashers	Streaky bacon, diced (Main)
¼ cup	Flour
3 cups	Milk
2 Tbsp	Thyme leaves, chopped, fresh, plus extra leaves to garnish (Main)
2 tsp	Lemon zest
2 cups	Grated tasty cheese (Main)
3 cups	Macaroni, cooked (Main)

Directions

1. In a medium-sized pot, melt the butter. Add the onion, garlic and half the bacon, cooking for 5 minutes until onions are soft and bacon cooked. Stir through the flour and heat until just frothing but not brown.
2. Add the milk and stir until the sauce thickens. Stir through the thyme and lemon. Remove from the heat and add half the cheese with the macaroni. Place into an ovenproof dish and sprinkle over the remaining cheese.
3. Preheat the oven to 200C.
4. Before serving, place the macaroni into the oven for 30 minutes to brown. The time will depend on whether you have let it cool.
5. Cook the remaining bacon in a small frying pan until crispy.
6. Serve macaroni hot with thyme and bacon.

More of Angela's affordable recipes

• Vegetable, pea and ham hock soup
• Roasted cauliflower and couscous salad