Crafts and Life

60g butter
300g cooked artichoke hearts halved, well drained and patted dry
100g lardons or sliced streaky bacon (optional)
olive oil
350g macaroni
1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed
50g plain flour
800ml milk
1 tbs grain mustard
2 pinches of ground nutmeg
160g strong hard old cheese, grated or broken up
salt and pepper
4-6 ripe tomatoes, thinly sliced
40g Parmesan
a few pinches of dried herbs (oregano, thyme, rosemary or a mix)

Pre-heat your oven to 200C/180C fan/gas mark 6.  Get a pan on and bring it up to the boil for the macaroni.

In a separate saucepan, melt 20g of the butter.  Add the artichokes and lardon, if using, and fry until golden brown, stirring regularly for 10 to 20 minutes.  Then scoop them out and sit them on some kitchen roll.

Once your water has come up to the boil, add a splash of olive oil, chuck in your macaroni and give it all a quick, vigourous stir.  Give your artichoke pan a quick wash, then out back on the heat to dry off.

Over a low to medium heat, add the remaining lot of butter to the pan.  Once it has melted, chuck in the smashed garlic clove, then a minute later stir in the flour.  Keep stirring it and let it fizzle for a few minutes to cook out the taste of the flour, then add a little milk and mix together with your spoon.  Once it's incorporated, pour in a bit more and then swap to a whisk so you whisk all the lumps out.  Keep gradually adding milk and crank the heat up a bit.  Bring the smooth sauce up to a bubble, then turn it down again and stir in the mustard and nutmeg. 

Fish out the garlic clove, add the strong, hard cheese (not the Parmesan) and mix until it is all melted. Season with a few cracks of pepper and some salt. 

Once your macaroni is al dente (it's important not to over cook the pasta on the first cook or else your final dish will be much heavier), drain well and add it to the cheese sauce, along with the artichokes (and lardons).  Turn off the heat and transfer to an oven proof dish.  It needs to be quite wet as the macaroni will continue absorbing the sauce, as it cooks.  Arrange the sliced tomato on top and sprinkle over the Parmesan and herbs.  Season and drizzle with extra-virgin.  Put the mac and cheese on a foil-lined baking tray to catch any over spills and into the middle of the oven it goes for 30 to 40 minutes, depending on how deep your dish is.

Serves 4 – taken from Economy Gastronomy by Allegra McEvedy and Paul Merrett