Comfort food

It's been getting cold in Melbourne so when my friend Tori gave me this recipe she ripped out of one of the weekend papers, it seemed the perfect thing to enjoy on a chilly evening, so I, once again, put off folding the washing and got down to the business of cooking!


LAMB AND MACARONI BAKE adapted from Neil Perry

75 ml EV Olive Oil (I probably used half of that)
2 large Onions, finely chopped
Sea salt / Black Pepper
500g Minced Lamb
can of Diced Tomatoes
Bay Leaf
500g cooked Macaroni
100g grated Gruyere
1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Heat Oil over a low heat and cook onions, with a good pinch of salt, for  15 mins or so.

Add 500g Minced Lamb and turn up the heat 'til browned.

Add a can of Diced Tomatoes and a Bay Leaf, and enough water to cover it and cook for 30 mins. Liquid should be evaporated.

Meanwhile make the Bechamel Sauce.

40g Butter
1/2 cup Plain Flour
3 cups warm Milk
3 beaten Eggs
100g grated Gruyere
grated nutmeg
salt / pepper

Melt butter, stir in flour, gradually add warm milk, stirring constantly 'til thickened. Remove from heat and stir in rest of ingredients.

In a bowl, mix the macaroni with a third of the bechamel.

Place half the macaroni in an ovenproof dish, add lamb sauce, then top with the rest of the macaroni. mix half the remaining cheeses with the bechamel, pour over the top, then sprinkle remaining cheese on top.

Bake for 20-30 mins, rest for 10.

It was Sen-bleedin'-sational!!

We all loved it. I even had it heated up for lunch today and it was just as good! Huge though...don't know how it will freeze but am going to try it. Would be great for a early dinner party with friends who have kids as they'd have to be pretty bloody fussy not to like it!