Ingredients
- 1 small onion
- peeled and finely sliced
- 1 clove of garlic
- peeled and crushed
- 2 tbsp Vegetable oil
- 25g Butter
- 25g Plain flour
- ½ Pint
- 275mls Full fat milk, boiled and hot
- 100g Mascarpone
- 60g Cheddar cheese, Grated
- 60g Other cheese, say Parmesan or Double Gloucester
- 4 tbsp chopped parsley
- Salt and freshly milled black pepper
- About 350g Cooked Farfalle
- Rigatoni or Penne
- A little grated cheese
Method
- Pre heat the oven to 220 C, Gas 7.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a saucepan and add the onions and garlic, cook for 5 minutes so they soften. Cool.
- Heat the butter until melted and add the flour to form a roux. Gradually add the hot milk stirring all the time until you have a nice sauce consistency. Stir in the onions and garlic.
- Pour the hot sauce into a bowl, and add the Mascarpone, cheddar, other cheese, cooked pasta and parsley, season well and mix together.
- Pour into a ceramic baking dish, top with a little grated cheese, then place onto a baking tray, (this helps to catch any bubbling cheese sauce, keeping your oven clean) and bake in the pre heated oven for about 20 minutes to brown all over.
- Cool slightly, then serve with green salad and garlic bread.
Phil's Tips
This cheesy bake is a twist on the old fashioned '4 cheese' idea coupled with a fondue taste, here I have the vegetarian option, but there is nothing to stop you adding a little cooked ham, chicken or even prawns. Just take care to leave the bake to cool slightly before eating as it will be very hot.
Another advantage is the bake can be made well in advance, chilled and re heated for a quick supper dish in front of the telly.