Macaroni magic

What better way to celebrate the versatility of cheese than pouring it over pasta and baking in the oven? 

Macaroni cheese is the ultimate comfort food; a golden bowl of squishy delight perfect for chilly grey days and dark nights. And, what’s more, it’s a super easy dish.

Before hitting the oven

I followed Nigella’s simple Mini Macaroni recipe from one of her previous books, Nigella Express. She lists not one, nor two but four different cheeses. I used all except the mascarpone — three seemed sufficient.

So, was my attempt as delectable as Nigella promised? 

Frankly, yes.

Show time

I went a bit overboard on the macaroni quantity so the sauce was spread thinner over a huge mass of pasta. I also used mature Gouda instead of Gruyère — Lidl was lacking in Gruyère at the time. While the result was tasty, it probably would have been improved with a stronger-tasting cheese, as recommended in the recipe.

Nevertheless, it had a peppery kick, and as I’d made six portions, I felt obliged to demolish another one a few hours later. Happy days.

The last straw

A friend pluckily brought this one back from a recent holiday to France, and I can safely say it is one of the strongest cheeses I’ve ever encountered, if not the funkiest. Don’t worry, I didn’t microwave this one.

First impressions were: straw mat, nice touch (“sur paille” means on straw). Sweet little birds, flowers and a fancy font.

Don’t let the cutesy packaging mislead you; Coulommiers means stinky business!

Named after a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department from France, it has a similar consistency to Brie, punctuated with little holes and a gloopy consistency. Unsurprising, then, that it is indeed a member of the Brie family, just smaller, denser and much stronger. It’s also made from unpasteurised milk as per the “au lait cru” written on the front.

I recommend diffusing the funky taste with a sweet accompaniment such as strawberry jam or redcurrant jelly. Not for the faint of heart, but certainly worth a nibble or two if you’re up to it.