Macaroni Cheese Swiss-style

€3.36 │ €0.84 per portion │ Serves 4 │ 30-45mins │ Switzerland

Swiss Macaroni cheese is a warming and filling pasta dish that goes down a treat. Topped with caramelised onions (made extra fast the Belgian cheat way!) and applesauce, it's a crowdpleasing classic that's easy to make and eat in bulk.

• What to serve it with?
• Leftovers
• Utensils
• Ingredients
• Method

What to serve it with?

Macaroni cheese Swiss-style is great on its own, though if you want to buff up the meal, things that go great on the side include a fresh rocket salad and garlic bread.

Leftovers

Spoonfeed meal plans save you money by using the economy of scale. Making extra from dinner into a leftover lunch avoids spending money and extra time cooking!

Macaroni cheese Swiss-style is a simple leftover meal, great warmed back up the next day.

Utensils

• 2 saucepans (1 large, 1 small)
• Frying pan (with lid)
• Wooden spatula
• Whisk
• Serving spoon

Ingredients

• 500g macaroni
• 1 large white onion (or 2 medium-sized)
• 250ml cream 7%
• 2 tbsp applesauce/apple compote
• 1 tbsp Liège syrup
• 1 tbsp flour
• 2 tbsp butter
• Cheese to grate
• Nutmeg/cinnamon
• Parsley

Method

1. Slice onion thinly. Add to a frying pan with 1 tbsp of butter, sprinkle dashes of salt and pepper, and cook the onion for about 3-5 minutes or until translucent. At this point, add around 1 tbsp of water, enough to just cover the surface of the pan, and cover with a lid.
2. Keep an eye on the onion - when the water is all evaporated, add another tbsp. Do this about three times, until the onion has steamed and has well softened.
3. While the onion is cooking, boil the kettle to prepare your pasta.
4. Add boiling water to the saucepan, salt it, and cover with the lid. Once bubbling, add the macaroni and submerge in the water, cooking as per your packet instructions, usually around 10 minutes.
5. While the pasta is cooking, make cheese sauce from a roux. On low heat, add 1 tbsp of butter to a small saucepan and when melted add the flour. Whisk well into a paste, cooking for 1 minute to ensure the flour is cooked. Then gradually whisk in the cream, whisking regularly for about 6-8 minutes when it should start to heat up and thicken. Season and spice with a dash of nutmeg or cinnamon.
6. Grate cheese and add a handful to the white sauce, saving some to top the pasta with.
7. When the onions are soft, add in Liège syrup and mix well. Cook for another 3 or so minutes, until it is uniform and the onions well caramelised. Once the sauce is thick - and before it bubbles - keep it off warm but off the heat.
8. Drain the pasta - adding a dash of the pasta water to the cheese sauce if it is too thick - and serve in bowls. Add applesauce, some caramelised onion, the sauce, and then mix well. Top with a small amount of the applesauce and onion to ensure they are visible, then add cheese and a smattering of parsley leaves.
9. Enjoy!