MAC AND CHEESE PIE

Next Level Comfort Food…

What is more comforting than a hug from warm gooey cheesy gloriousness encased in a buttery flakey suet crust pastry, what a winner dinner.  A total carb overload that is worth every groaning moan from this over indulgence !

Ingredients 

(serves 6-8)

 FOR THE BEST EVER SUET CRUST PASTRY

330g supreme self raising flour

100g cold butter grated

130g atora suet

Water as needed (150ml+)

1 tsp salt and white pepper 

1 beaten egg (for pastry wash)

Six Cheese Mac n Cheese

500g small elbow macaroni pasta cooked and drained

4 tbsp butter

4 tbsp all purpose flour

1 ltr full fat milk

1/4 tsp grated nutmeg

1 tsp white pepper

100g smoked gouda cheese block

200g sharp white cheddar block

100g fontina or Parmesan block

60g Provolone block

60g Emmental cheese block

60g Gruyère cheese block

3 tbsp sweet chilli sauce

Pastry

Make the pastry first so that it can rest in the fridge.  Place all the ingredients except the water in a large bowl and very gently mix, you do not want to over work the mix as this will make it rubbery, and this pastry is the best ever because it is light and crispy with a flakey texture finished off with a hint of almost dumpling texture underneath, that soaks up the gorgeous braise stake gravy.  Add the water a glug at a time probably 150ml ish and just crush the pastry mix together, wrap in paper and plonk in the fridge for 30 minutes or until needed.

Bring a large pan of water to a rolling boil generously season with sea salt, cook the macaroni for approx 8 minutes until al dente, soft but still has a bite to it.  Drain, toss through a drizzle of olive oil to stop the pasta clumping together, reserve to one side.

Mac n Cheese

Melt the butter, stir in the flour and cook on a low heat for 5 minutes, start to add the cold milk a cup at a time and whisk in each time until smooth, repeat until all the milk has been incorporated, and you have a medium thick sauce, add the nutmeg, white pepper and stir to combine. 

On a gentle low simmer cook the sauce for 15 minutes stirring all the time, do not let the sauce catch on the bottom of the pan,

Grate all the cheeses, this really makes a difference as pre grated cheese is generally coated in potato starch to stop the cheese from clumping, add the cheeses and stir in to combine, taste and season with salt if needed.  Stir in the cooked macaroni and combine.

Take one third of the pastry for the pie lid, roll out your pastry and line your pie tin,  pour in half the mac n cheese drizzle over the sweet chilli sauce and the add the remaining mac n cheese, egg wash the pie rim, place on the pastry lid and egg wash.

Pre heat your oven 180 C / 356 F.

Bake the pie for 35-40 minutes until golden brown, serve immediately.