pasta

quick tomato macaroni cheese

servings
Serves 4

method

I think this is the best macaroni cheese recipe ever! This is a dish I make for the whole family, one that we all love to eat. I've used sweet tomatoes in my recipe as they really complement the cheese, and instead of béchamel sauce I've used single cream as it's a lot lighter. I've also topped the dish off with cheesy breadcrumbs, which give it a wonderful crunch. I think you'll laugh when you see how easy it is to make. I put it together extremely quickly by using my Magimix food processor. Don't worry if you haven't got one – you can chop it all up by hand instead and then mix it in a bowl.

Preheat your oven to 200ºC/400ºF/gas 6. Get a pan of salted boiling water going and cook your macaroni according to the packet instructions. Meanwhile, break your bread up, place it in the food processor and whiz it up to form breadcrumbs. Set aside. Wash your tomatoes and place them in the food processor with the garlic, basil, sun-dried tomatoes, anchovies and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Whiz up for 30 seconds. Then add 2 handfuls of the Parmesan, the cream, vinegar and grated nutmeg. Whiz until smooth and season carefully to taste so it's really yummy!

By this time your macaroni will probably be cooked, so drain it in a colander, saving some of the cooking water. Place the pasta back into the pan and pour over every last bit of the cheesy sauce. You want it to be quite loose because you'll be surprised how quickly the sauce will disappear inside the macaroni and will look dry. So add a few spoonfuls of the reserved cooking water. Now you need to get yourself a baking dish about 8–10cm deep – this could be an earthenware dish or even a shallow ovenproof pan. Pour the pasta straight into your baking dish and break the mozzarella into little pieces over the top. Mix the last handful of Parmesan with the thyme leaves and breadcrumbs and sprinkle evenly over the top of the dish. Drizzle generously with good extra virgin olive oil – this will give you a lovely crunch topping.

Place in the preheated oven for 20–25 minutes or until piping hot and golden on top. Serve straight away, sprinkled with a little extra Parmesan. Best eaten with a nice salad – and you'll love it.

• from Jamie's Dinners

ingredients

• 340g macaroni
• 200g bread, preferably stale, for making breadcrumbs
• 800g super-ripe tomatoes
• 1 clove of garlic, peeled
• 2 large handfuls of fresh basil
• 55g sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• 2 anchovies
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 handfuls of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 565ml single cream
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• ½ a nutmeg, grated
• 400g cow's milk mozzarella, broken up
• a handful of fresh thyme, leaves picked
extra virgin olive oil

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1. by A on Mon 17 Oct 2011 @ 01:08

@Rob- Wow, you're not a fan anymore just because one recipe didn't work out for you? Sounds like you weren't much of a fan in the first place.

2. by Rob Deadman on Tue 12 Jul 2011 @ 22:31

I used to be a huge Jamie fan and have this recipe in one of his books that I have. I'm not a fan anymore after this recipe. This has to be the worst recipe I have ever used. The quantities quoted could not be further out. You end up with basically a soup with some pasta in which then has over an inch of breadcrumbs which is so thick it has no chance of crisping up. If a recipe is published it should be checked and be correct and this one certainly isnt. I have wasted money on a lot of ingredients which have not created a meal. I have checked the reipe over and over and I certainly have not made any mistake. I wont be using a Jamie Oliver recipe again and this one should either be sorted out or removed from the book.

3. by ROSA MARI on Sat 14 May 2011 @ 16:43

me encanta jeimi!!!!!

4. by Lizard on Mon 18 Apr 2011 @ 18:39

Just made this and have to say, not too impressed :( The cream split and curdled while it was cooking in the oven and i didn't find it all that cheesey tasting. It was more tomatoey. I'll try the killer mac n cheese next time!

5. by Katherine on Thu 01 Oct 2009 @ 07:12

I am going to try this but I LOVE macaroni cheese with olives so will add them to the recipe.

6. by sarah on Fri 05 Jun 2009 @ 19:25

This is great I just made it. I'm not sure why it made enough for 8 big portions though. Any ideas??

7. by Dominique on Fri 22 May 2009 @ 18:53

I am an english girl who lives in portugal I have all your books you are a fabulous chef, I shall be making this tonight for my Husband and my little boy and I am sure it will go down a treat. With regards to the show did on school dinners in the UK you should come over to Portugal and see theirs I think you would be pleasantley surprised, maybe UK could take a leaf out of there book.
Cheers
Dominique from in the sun

8. by Alexander Alken on Sat 09 May 2009 @ 11:38

Decided to go with the bruschetta, pasta carbonara, and blazin' brownies!

9. by Alex Alken on Sat 09 May 2009 @ 10:28

Dude, this looks awesome!!! Trying to make a nice treat for my halth bro's family tonight, and, i'm not really sure what i'm gonna make, but this is definately on the list!

P.S. My biggest dream is to become a chef when i grow up, and you are probably the biggest chef - inspiration i've ever come across with! Whenever i'm in London, i'll make sure to visit your restaurant!

Thumbs up from a huge fan!!!! d-_-b

10. by limu on Wed 25 Feb 2009 @ 17:14

all delicous

11. by Paula on Sat 31 Jan 2009 @ 19:25

Hello! I'm from Brazil and absolutely love your recipes. I have one tiny problem though: translating some ingredients name. For example, the single cream, which is american half and half. I don't know what it is here in Brazil, can you help me please? I'm only know the double cream, which is our creme de leite.

12. by sybren on Sat 24 Jan 2009 @ 15:34

One of the best if not the best pasta I ever made.

13. by sara on Tue 13 Jan 2009 @ 20:28

the best i have ever made.

14. by coral bright on Tue 25 Nov 2008 @ 13:17

i have to make this for my friend;; LAURA,, who i love soooooo much.. it's all because i said sorry to her, kk.
will be well nice doe bruv, danks alot inartttttttt
peace.

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