Six Cheese Mac and Cheese

Six cheese macaroni does sound over the top. But you’d do this too if getting your hands on some good cheese was as big an event for you as it was for me. This past week, I stumbled upon a variety of cheeses at my local supermarket. A dull day suddenly became a lot more exciting as I kept throwing in slab after slab of cheese into my cart. Soon enough I began thinking of all the ways I’d use my cheese. Cheddar biscuits had been on my mind so I got down to making them first. A good mac and cheese was on my list next.

Of course I didn’t start with six cheeses in my mind. When I began thinking about how I’d make my mac and cheese, a three cheese pasta was where my heart was first. But as I put together all my cheese on the table, I realised I could be a wee bit dramatic and instead make a six cheese mac. Just thinking about this, made me a happy, happy girl. I made a sauce that would combine my favourite cheeses and be tossed with some rigatoni and baked until golden with a sage, breadcrumb parmesan crust.

Six Cheese Mac and Cheese
Serves 4 hungry people

Pasta:
250g dried pasta (elbow macaroni/penne/rigatoni)
Salt
Water

Cheese sauce:
3 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp chilli flakes/red chilli powder
2 tbsp all purpose flour
2 cups/500ml Cups milk
1oz/25g Blue cheese (you could use more, I ran out of it)
10z/50g Goat’s cheese (mine had added herbs)
2oz./50g Smoked gouda
2oz./50g Colby cheddar
20z./50g Sharp cheddar
Salt and pepper to taste

Sage, toasted breadcrumb and parmesan crust:
2 oz./50g Parmesan
½ cup Bread crumbs, lightly toasted for 1-2 minutes.(sometimes, I add 1 tbsp butter)
5-6 sage leaves, chopped (you can sub it with your fave herb as well)