Mac ’n’ cheese canapés recipe by Georgia Levy
Sometimes food trends are a bit silly; sometimes they’re surprisingly clever. This one falls into the latter camp. Christmas brings with it the stress of feeding people in higher than usual numbers, so any dish that can assuage this is a hit with me. Macaroni cheese baked into three-mouthful portions, genius.
These are as easy to make for 50 as they are for six, and they tick all the canapé boxes: they’re substantial, don’t give people mucky fingers or stain their new white shirt, and they’re great for kids, too. You could also double the recipe and have mac ’n’ cheese for dinner the night before you have your guests over and simply bake the leftovers. Where has this recipe been all our lives?
They are particularly delicious with some frazzled spring onions and parsley on top. I also like to serve them with a few bowls of accessories.
Makes 12
butter 40g, plus extra to grease
plain flour 40g
mustard powder ½ tsp
smoked paprika ½ tsp (optional)
whole milk 350ml
bay leaf 1
macaroni 250g
parmesan 50g, grated
mature cheddar 100g, grated
For the frazzled spring onions (optional)
butter 10g
spring onions 4, thinly sliced
garlic 1 clove, chopped
parsley leaves a handful, chopped
To serve (optional)
chilli oil, crisp bacon or chorizo, prosciutto, fried mushrooms
Melt the butter in a small saucepan, then stir in the flour to make a paste and cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the mustard powder and paprika if using, then start adding the milk, a splash at a time, stirring vigorously until smooth and all the milk has been incorporated. Add the bay leaf and turn the heat down to low before leaving the sauce to simmer gently, stirring occasionally, while you cook the macaroni.
Preheat the oven to 200C fan/gas mark 7. Butter a 12-hole muffin tin. Bring a pan of salted water to the boil and cook the macaroni according to packet instructions until al dente, then drain in a colander.
Take the sauce off the heat, reserve 20g of the parmesan, then stir in the rest of the cheese and plenty of black pepper. Discard the bay leaf, then fold in the drained pasta. Check the seasoning, you want it pretty punchy.
Spoon into the muffin tin, pushing it in with the back of a spoon. (You can wrap the tin in clingfilm and pop in the freezer at this stage if you like.) Sprinkle over the reserved parmesan, then place in the oven for 15-20 minutes until golden on top. Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes to help them hold together better.
While the mac ’n’ cheese is in the oven, make the frazzled spring onions, if using. Melt the butter in a small frying pan over a medium heat and add the spring onions. Cook for 2-3 minutes until they begin to soften, then turn the heat down to low and add the garlic and parsley. Keep cooking until the garlic is soft and the edges of the spring onions are colouring, about 2-3 minutes. Take off the heat and season lightly.
Serve the mac ’n’ cheese warm or room temperature with some frazzled spring onions spooned over if you like, or a few bowls of things to eat them with. It will reheat nicely, too.
Georgia Levy’s latest book is Let’s do Lunch (Pavilion, £17)
