macaroni & cheese

Creamy and delicious, this version of the comfort food classic is a winner with omnivores, so it must be good. I like to add peas for colour and freshness but feel free to omit the greenery if you’re a purist.

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SERVES: 4–6

PREPARATION: 20 minutes

COOKING: 35 minutes, once the cheese sauce is made

300 g (10½ oz) macaroni or small tube pasta

fine sea salt

150 g (5½ oz) ciabatta or sourdough, torn

1 tablespoon nutritional yeast

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for tossing

60 g (2¼ oz) frozen peas

1 pinch paprika

2 quantities cheese sauce, warm

about 60 ml (2 fl oz/¼ cup)vegetable stock, if needed

non-dairy butter, for greasing

Cook the macaroni in boiling salted water following the packet directions. Drain, rinse in cold water and toss with a little olive oil. Set aside.

Heat the oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas 4). Meanwhile, put the bread in a blender or food processor, add the nutritional yeast and the olive oil. Blitz to a breadcrumb consistency. Set aside. Blanch the peas in boiling salted water.

In a large bowl, gently toss together the pasta, the cheese sauce, peas and paprika. There should be lots of sauce so if the mixture is too thick, stir in some or all of the stock. Grease a shallow ovenproof dish approximately 25 x 17 cm (10 x 6½ inches) with butter. Tip in the pasta and sprinkle with the breadcrumb topping. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the cheese sauce is bubbling and the top golden.