Garlic Bread Mac 'n Cheese

Serves 8

INGREDIENTS

For the mac ‘n cheese filling:

1 pack (500g) Fatti’s & Moni’s Elicoidali

6 tbsp butter, cubed

½ cup flour

4 cups milk, warmed

3 cups grated white cheddar cheese

1 cup bacon bits, fried until crispy

¼ tsp nutmeg

Salt and pepper, to season

½ cup grated hard cheese

For the garlic bread crust:

12-15 slices white bread

6 tbsp butter, melted

6 cloves garlic, crushed

¼ cup chopped parsley

Serving suggestoin:

Chopped parsley

Mixed salad

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 200°C and grease a 25cm springform tin.
In a large pot of simmering water, cook the Fatti’s & Moni’s Elicoidali according to pack instruction until al denté. Drain.
In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in the flour until smooth, then whisk in the warmed milk. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes or until thickened.
Remove from the heat and stir through the cheddar cheese, bacon bits and nutmeg and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Add the cooked elicoidali and stir to coat and combine.
Combine the melted butter with garlic and chopped parsley.
Slice the top crust off the bread slices. Blitz these off-cuts in the blender until you have fine breadcrumbs. Set aside for later.
Brush one side of the bread slices with the herbed garlic butter and line the bottoms and the sides of the springform tin with the buttered side facing the tin. Trim to fit the tin.
Spoon the mac ‘n cheese mixture into the bread-lined tin and smooth out the top. Sprinkle over the homemade breadcrumbs and grated hard cheese.
Bake, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and the cheese is melted.
Loosen the sides from the tin with a knife and remove the rim of the springform. Using a sharp bread knife, slice into 8 portions.
Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and slice into generous portions. Serve with a salad on the side and ENJOY!