Macaroni Cheese with Tomato
Prepare carefully. Work safely. Evaluate honestly.
- Serves / makes
- 6 servings
- Preparation
- 15 minutes
- Cooking
- 30 minutes
- Total time
- 45 minutes
Heat / oven setting200°C conventional / 180°C fan
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| 450g | |
| 60g | |
| 60g | |
| 900ml | |
| 270g | |
| 3 | |
| 0.75 tsp | |
| A small pinch |
Tick ingredients as you prepare them. Ticks reset when you reload.
Equipment
- Digital scales, measuring jug and spoons
- Clean chopping boards and sharp knife
- Mixing bowl
- Clean serving utensils
- Oven gloves and heatproof mat
- Large baking dish
- Saucepan and colander
- Separate saucepan for sauce
- Whisk
- Cheese grater
- Wooden spoon
- Extra baking tray or larger pan/dish if needed for six servings
Method
Prepare
Wash hands, clean the workstation and preheat the oven. Grease a large baking dish. Weigh flour and butter and measure milk. Use pans and trays large enough for six servings. Cook in batches if needed; keep pieces the same size and allow extra time for batches. For baked dishes, use a wider dish to keep the original depth.
Boil pasta
Cook macaroni for 2 minutes less than packet time. Drain carefully.
Make a roux
Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat. Stir in flour and mustard powder and cook for 1 minute without browning.
Make cheese sauce
Add milk gradually, whisking after each addition until smooth. Simmer gently for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 210g cheese and pepper.
Assemble and bake
Combine pasta and sauce in the dish. Arrange tomato slices on top and scatter over remaining cheese. Bake for 20–25 minutes until golden and bubbling throughout.
Serve
Stand for 3 minutes before portioning. Evaluate sauce smoothness and the pasta texture.
Portion for six
Divide the finished dish evenly between six people.
Food safety
- Wash hands, clean surfaces, tie back hair and use clean equipment. Check use-by dates and ingredient labels before starting.
- Take care with boiling water, steam and hot pans. Use oven gloves for hot dishes and keep pan handles away from the worktop edge. Heat the finished dish until steaming throughout.
- Cool perishable leftovers and refrigerate within 1–2 hours. Keep the fridge at 5°C or below, use refrigerated leftovers within 48 hours and reheat only once until steaming hot throughout. Rice has a shorter storage limit.
Guidance: Food Standards Agency cooking advice ↗
Nutritional considerations
Pasta supplies carbohydrate; milk and cheese supply protein and calcium. Cheese and butter add saturated fat. Tomatoes add vegetables.
Practical skills
Roux making, gradual liquid incorporation, boiling and baking.
Presentation
Use clean serving equipment, divide evenly and wipe the plate or dish edges. Check the finished food against your planned colour, texture and appearance.
Evaluate your practical
Describe the appearance, flavour, texture and a skill you used successfully.
Explain one improvement to the recipe, your timings or your technique.
Classroom adaptation written from the recipe title in your collection. Review portions, ingredients and timings with your teacher before a practical.
Times are approximate. Quantities are for the stated yield; accompanying foods are included only when listed. This learning sheet does not itself award a qualification.