Mac and cheese…it’s a crowd pleaser! But, let’s make it green, keep it creamy [sans dairy], add come crunch, and remember just how great a bowl of pasta is for the soul.
Green mac & cheese
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Ingredients
- 260g dried macaroni pasta
- 1 leek, finely sliced
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 40g spinach
- 250ml milk [dairy or dairy-free]
- 2 pinches of ground nutmeg
- 200g silken tofu
- 1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
- 90g grated cheese [dairy or dairy-free]
- 1 tso plain flour
- 1 slice of day-old bread
Instructions
[1] Begin by preheating the oven to 180ºc. Place the macaroni in a pan and cover with water. Add a pinch of salt and then place the pan on the hob on a medium heat. Cook for 10-12 minutes until the pasta is soft. Drain once cooked, reserving some of the pasta water.
[2] Meanwhile, in a separate pan, add 1 tbsp of olive oil along with the sliced leek. Cook for 5 or so minutes until the leek has softened and then add the garlic. Leave on the hob for 2 more minutes until the garlic smells fragrant before transferring to a blender.
[3] Add the spinach, milk, nutmeg, silken tofu, soy sauce, and a generous pinch of salt to the blender and blend until green and smooth.
[4] Pour the sauce back into the pan and add the grated cheese and flour. Heat on a low-medium heat stirring continuously until the cheese has melted and the sauce has thickened.
[5] Stir through the cooked pasta, adding some of the reserved pasta water if it needs loosening. When fully combined empty into an ovenproof dish.
[6] Blitz the slice of bread until it turns into fine breadcrumbs and then combine with the remaining tablespoon of oil and a pinch of salt. Sprinkle the crumbs on top of the pasta and then place the dish into the oven to bake for 25 minutes until golden brown and bubbling. Enjoy!
