MAC n CHEESE STUFFED PIE

How can you possibly better Mac n cheese, stuff it in a pie that's how!  Gorgeous macaroni smothered in a rich creamy four cheese sauce then lovingly stuffed into a flaky pastry pie, finished off with a topping of crispy cheesy Parmesan panko breadcrumbs, even better add some crushed crispy sweet cure bacon to the panko breadcrumbs.

Ingredients

(Makes 2 individual or 1 medium pie, serves 3)

The macaroni cheese

300g macaroni 

700ml gold top creamy milk

75g butter

75g flour 

1 small onion

1 clove

1 bay leaf

300g-500g mature cheddar grated

200g Gruyere grated

100g Emmental 

100g Parmesan grated

Pinch of white pepper

Pinch of sea salt

Pinch of grated nutmeg

Topping

200g breadcrumbs 

100g Parmesan cheese grated  

Old Fashioned Flaky Pastry

450g plain flour

110g cold lard diced

100g cold butter grated

160ml ice cold water

10g sea salt 

First make the pastry so it can chill in the fridge while you make the cheese sauce.  In a large bowl add the flour, diced lard, grated butter and sea salt, cut in very slightly just to make an even combination, add the water and loosely bring together, keeping large pieces of fat in the pastry gives you that light flaky almost puff pastry texture, wrap in parchment and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Infuse the milk for the cheese sauce by studding the onion with the clove at the same time as pinning the bay leaf to the onion, pop in the milk and gently warm through, take off the heat and leave to infuse for half an hour or so.

Meanwhile put a pan of water on to boil and cook the macaroni, drain and run under cold water, leave to one side, while the macaroni is cooking make the cheese sauce, melt the butter on a medium heat in a pan, then add the flour and stir in completely, cook out your roux gently for five minutes, then start to add the warm milk a good glug at a time incorporating fully each time before you add the next glug of milk, repeat until you have a semi thick sauce with a beautiful silky glossy sheen, now add all the grated cheese and stir in until melted, season with some salt and pepper and a grating of nutmeg.  If your sauce is to thick, add a little of the milk to loosen slightly.  Mix the cheese sauce with the macaroni and leave to cool while you roll out the pastry.

Pre-heat your oven to 180 degrees.  Roll out your chilled pastry fairly thin and line your greased pie tins, load the pastry with your slightly cooled mac n cheese generously, mix the panko breadcrumbs with the grated parmesan and sprinkle over the top, bake in the oven for around 30-35 minutes until the top is a light golden brown, serve alone or for a double carb overload serve with creamy buttery mashed potatoes and a extra drizzle of cheese sauce.