Sprout Mac ‘n’ Cheese

10 minutes prep, 35 minutes cook

Serves 4

Ingredients

250g macaroni

300g trimmed baby sprouts

30g unsalted butter

80g pancetta

40g plain flour

600ml whole milk, warmed

100g extra mature cheddar, grated

100g gruyère, grated

Method

Preheat the oven to 200˚C/Fan 180˚C/Gas 6. Cook the macaroni in boiling salted water for 4 minutes, then add the sprouts and cook for a further 4 minutes, until the pasta is tender. Drain well and set aside.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large saucepan and cook the pancetta for 5 minutes, until crisp and golden, then remove with a slotted spoon (leaving the fat behind) and set aside. Stir the flour into the fat and cook for 2 minutes, then gradually stir in the milk to form a smooth sauce. Bring to the boil and simmer for 2 minutes, then remove from the heat and stir in ⅔ of the grated cheeses.

Stir the macaroni, sprouts and pancetta into the cheese sauce. Season, spoon into an ovenproof dish and scatter over the remaining cheese. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden and bubbling.