This post is part of “The Art of Cheese”, a partnership between Honest Cooking and Castello Cheese.
A superb recipe for mac and cheese that is comforting and a little bit fancy – because when a stellar ingredients like Castello’s aged havarti, cauliflower, and a crunchy pangrattato feature, it really is a work of art.
By Pepper Passport
Oh macaroni and cheese, how do we love thee? The answer? So freaking much. Particularly when the recipe for macaroni and cheese is taken to an elite level via the addition of ridiculously good cheese, fabulous flavors and a few eclectic and excellent additions. 
THE CHEESE
First up, you have got to use the good stuff. And this recipe calls for aged havarti which is a semi soft cow’s milk cheese that hails from Denmark by Castello. You can devour it alone (and rather easily too) but as it’s rather buttery it melts into the béchamel sauce like a dream. It also holds a slightly nutty taste – which brings us on to the inclusion of nutmeg and other selected flavours.
FABULOUS FLAVORS
You’ll see there’s mustard in the béchamel too – it’s an old trick but in this instance by using hot English mustard it lends a spiced kick, which helps to break the creaminess of the dish. It also is excellent for cleaning out the sinuses.
While this dish wouldn’t be billed as #cleaneating, we’ve put in cauliflower and not just because it’s really good for you. The cauliflower breaks the density of the pasta, and it’s commonly accepted that cauliflower and cheese makes for one kick arse combination.
EXCELLENT ADDITION
To be fancy, and a work of art, macaroni and cheese must have a marvellous topping, and this one is rather special. Instead of grating just a little parmesan over the top before grilling (so standard), we’ve done a pangrattato like topping. The sourdough crumbs and pepita seeds give crunch and texture, while the inclusion of lemon rind and fresh herbs, really bolster and brighten the dish up.
Point made. Macaroni and cheese, when made well equals one ‘so fancy’ and cheesy work of art.
The Art of Cheese — Macaroni and Cheese with Aged Havarti
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
A superb recipe that is comforting and a bit fancy – because when ingredients like Castello’s aged havarti and pangrattato feature, it is a work of art.
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 tbsp (50 g) BUTTER, CHOPPED
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) PLAIN FLOUR
- 2 CUPS (480 ml) WARMED FULL CREAM MILK
- 4 1/2 oz (130 g) COSTELLO AGED HAVARTI CHEESE, CRUMBLED
- 1 tsp NUTMEG
- 1 1/2 tbsp (22 ml) HOT ENGLISH MUSTARD
- 7 oz (200 g) DRIED MACARONI
- 14 oz (400 g) CAULIFLOWER, WASHED AND IN SMALL FLORETS
- 3 THICK SLICES DAY OLD SOURDOUGH TORN INTO BREAD CRUMBS
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) PEPITAS
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) PARMESAN CHEESE, GRATED
- GOOD PINCH CHILLI FLAKES
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) MIXED FRESH HERBS, CHOPPED
- ZEST OF 1 LEMON
- SALT AND PEPPER
Instructions
- Preheat your oven grill or broiler to high heat.
- Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat, add flour and stir until sandy-coloured (2-4 minutes). Gradually whisk in milk and stir until mixture is thick and comes to the boil (2-4 minutes). Stir in cheese, nutmeg and mustard, season to taste and keep warm.
- Next cook macaroni in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until al dente (5-6 minutes), adding cauliflower after 2 minutes. Drain and return cauliflower and macaroni to pan, stir in cheese sauce, season to taste, pour into a large baking dish, scatter with remaining cheese.
- Next make the pangrattato in a bowl by combining the sourdough bread crumbs, herbs, chili flakes, parmesan cheese, pepitas, lemon zest and a good slug of olive oil. You want the mixture to be ‘wet’ but not soaked. Season with salt and pepper.
- Scatter the pangrattao over the pasta, then transfer to the oven and grill until golden and bubbly for 4 -5 minutes. Serve with salad. Or eat alone. So fancy.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Pasta
- Cuisine: Australian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 520
If You Liked This Recipe, You’ll Love These
- Ploughman’s Grilled Cheese with Apple Chile Chutney
- Homemade Dill Cheese Crackers
- Artichokes, Pancetta, and Cheese Cups
- Spicy Blue Cheese Middle Eastern Pita Flatbread
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does this mac and cheese include hot English mustard?
The article explains this is “an old trick” — 1½ tbsp (22 ml) of hot English mustard in the béchamel adds a spiced kick that breaks through the richness of the cream sauce and Havarti, preventing the dish from feeling too heavy. It also, as the author notes, “is excellent for clearing the sinuses.”
When does the cauliflower go into the pasta water?
The cauliflower is not cooked separately — add the 14 oz (400 g) of small florets to the same boiling salted water after the macaroni has already been cooking for 2 minutes, then drain both together when the pasta is al dente (5–6 minutes total for the pasta).
What is pangrattato and what goes into it here?
Pangrattato is an Italian-style breadcrumb topping used here instead of plain Parmesan. This version combines 3 thick slices of day-old sourdough torn into crumbs, 2 tbsp (30 ml) pepita seeds, ½ cup (120 ml) grated Parmesan, chili flakes, 2 tbsp chopped fresh herbs, lemon zest, and a generous slug of olive oil — mixed until the crumbs are wet but not soaked, then scattered over the pasta before grilling for 4–5 minutes.
