Method
1. Preheat the oven to 220ºC / 200ºC Fan / Gas 7. Melt the butter in a pan, add the flour and garlic then keep stirring to form a roux.2. Meanwhile bring a large pan of salted water to the boil then add the macaroni and cook for 10 minutes until a little under al dente.
3. Add the bay leaves to the roux followed by the milk, stirring continuously until no lumps remain and the mixture thickens. Add the Dijon mustard, cheese, cream (if using) and finally the pigs in blankets. Season to taste then transfer to an ovenproof dish.
4. To make the breadcrumbs, combine all breadcrumb ingredients in a clean bowl with a generous seasoning of salt and pepper. You can add more cheese, pickled walnuts and parsley at this stage, tasting as you go until you hit the right balance of flavour. Scatter the breadcrumbs over the macaroni cheese then pop in the oven for 10-15 minutes until the top is crispy and golden.
Ingredients
For the macaroni cheese:
• 50g butter
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 500g macaroni pasta
• 2 bay leaves
• 650ml milk
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 200g strong Cheddar cheese
• 50ml double cream, optional (or clotted cream if you have some leftover from Christmas)
• 15 pigs in blankets, cooked
• Salt and pepper, to taste
For the pickled walnut breadcrumbs:
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 150g breadcrumbs
• 4 Opies Pickled Walnuts, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp Parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper, to taste
