Now that the TV adaptation of Dolly Alderton's iconic memoir is screening on TVNZ, may we suggest you pair your viewing with her totally indulgent mac and cheese recipe from Everything I Know About Love.
INGREDIENTS
- 350g pasta - macaroni or penne works well
- 35g butter
- 35g plain flour
- 500ml whole milk
- 200g grated Cheddar cheese
- 100g grated Red Leicester cheese
- 100g grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tbsp English mustard
- Bunch of spring onions, chopped
- Dash of Worcestershire sauce
- 1 small ball of mozzarella cheese, torn into pieces
- Salt and black pepper, to season
- Olive oil, to drizzle
In a large pan of boiling water, cook the pasta for eight minutes, so it is slightly undercooked - it will continue to cook when you bake it. Drain and set aside, stirring olive oil through so it doesn't stick together.
In a separate pan, melt the butter. Mix in the flour and keep cooking for a few minutes, stirring all the time until the mixture forms a roux paste. Whisk in the milk little by little, and cook over a low heat for ten to fifteen minutes. Keep stirring all the time and cook until you have a smooth and glossy sauce that gradually thickens.
Off the heat, add around three-quarters of the Cheddar, Red Leicester and Parmesan into the sauce, along with the mustard, some salt and pepper, the chopped onions and a dash of Worcestershire sauce, and keep stirring until all is melted.
Preheat the grill as high as it will go. Pour the pasta into the sauce and mix everything together in a baking dish, stir in the mozzarella, then sprinkle over the remaining Cheddar, Red Leicester and Parmesan. Grill (or place into a hot oven at 200°C for fifteen minutes), until the mixture is golden and bubbling with a crisp top.
We’ve compiled a book guide to what should be on the top of your TBR pile, depending on your favourite Swift Era.
Wondering what to read after Everything I Know About Love? If you’re a fan of Dolly Alderton’s first book, then you’ll love her second book: Ghosts. Learn all about it and discover more similar titles.
Done binging the latest TV sensation? Pick up a book and keep the good times rolling.
I don’t remember much about the circumstances of my first cherry clafoutis. But I must have loved the classic French farmhouse dessert, because I’ve been trying to reproduce that first custardy, almond-scented pancake ever since.
‘I always think that canapés should box slightly above their weight – in other words, they need to be vividly flavoured to succeed. Here, the combination of crisp brioche, salty feta, pickled walnuts, figs, honey and thyme is just that. If you like, there’s a recipe for pickling your own green walnuts on page 275 of Rick Stein’s Christmas. You can also make this with slices of goat’s cheese from a log instead of the whipped feta.’
While I’ve always been a fan of the old camp song “On Top of Spaghetti,” I firmly believe that’s the very last place a meatball belongs.
Shrubs pair beautifully with soda water (and gin), and are perfect for using up seasonal fruit — wild, homegrown or store-bought.
Creamy, comforting and ever so delicious, the big question is, are you having eggs, or no eggs?
This warming recipe for homemade sweet potato gnocchi with a roasted aubergine ragout from Ixta Belfrage is a dish you'll return to again and again, particularly as the weather gets cooler.
Fast, spicy and delicious, this is the perfect midweek meal to put a smile on your face.