Full English Mac and Cheese

Full English Mac and Cheese recipe

Mac and Cheese is my go to supper dish. We eat a variation of it once a week without fail and it’s the ultimate family dish. Now we’re allowed to entertain again, I’m struggling to get back into the swing of making dinner party food. So I’m not. I am loving serving this Instant Pot Mac and Cheese to guests; it makes great bowl food and is quick and simple. Adding all the delicious elements of a Full English to your Mac and Cheese makes it even more appealing, if possible, to whoever you choose to make this for.

I haven’t got an Instant Pot, I hear you cry! Don’t panic, feel free to use this recipe for the base of your dish. If you do have an Instant Pot then this Full English Mac and Cheese recipe is the one for you. The pasta element takes 4 minutes in the IP, plus coming up to pressure and the steam releasing, and some minor stirring. The Full English part is crispy bacon, sausage balls and the whole cheesy deliciousness is then finished with eggs baked into the middle. I also baked some cherry tomatoes which I love; my family don’t so I served them on the side. My add-ins are personal choices, you choose your favourites or add grilled mushrooms, spinach or peppers if you’re not eating meat. I’ve been adding wild garlic too whilst it’s available, so adapt the recipe to your hearts content.

This breakfast bastardisation of a classic dish has been given the Top Notch seal of approval from George. This could be due to the total lack of green vegetable accompaniment; for his portion I even picked off the chives.

I’d had such a manic whirlwind rosé fuelled weekend I forgot the eggs.

So here they are.

I would never ordinarily choose pre grated cheese, however, in this recipe it works because it contains a little cornflour which thickens the sauce beautifully. The rest of the ingredients are simple pasta, butter, water plus the breakfast based stars of the show, of course.

Start by cooking your breakfast additions. Pre heat the oven to 220 degrees fan assisted. Lay the streaky bacon onto a lined baking sheet. Skin the sausages, then use the meat from each sausage to make two balls. Pop these onto the baking sheet, and bake for 15 minutes until the bacon and sausage balls are crisp.

Place the cherry toms onto a baking sheet, season then toss in a splash of oil and also roast for 15 minutes.

Once the bacon is cool enough chop into strips then set the whole lot to one side while you make the mac and cheese. Turn the oven down to 180 degrees fan.

Take the bowl of your Instant Pot and tip in the macaroni. Next pour on 900ml of cold water.

Stir in a teaspoon of salt then add the cubes of butter.

Pop the bowl into your Instant Pot, put the lid on and make sure the seal nozzle is set. Set to manual for 4 minutes then leave it to come up to pressure.

Once the time’s up, release the steam manually then remove the lid. Stir the macaroni to break it up.

Add in the pre grated cheese, reserving a handful for later, until it’s melted then add roughly 100ml of milk to loosen the sauce. You may need a little more or a little less, so add a splash at a time.

The pasta should be well coated and saucy. Season with pepper and a little more salt, if needed. This does mean you’ll have to have a big mouthful, which is a total cooks perk. Next, add the chopped bacon (I snipped mine into strips with kitchen scissors) and cooked sausage. You can add the tomatoes here too. I didn’t as I’m the only tomato fan in our house, so I served them on the side.

Tip the whole delicious batch into a large baking dish. Larger than mine, which was full to the brim.

Top with a little more cheese then bake in the oven for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes remove from the oven and make a deep-ish well in the pasta for each egg. Allow one egg per person.

Pre cracking the egg into small glass or bowl makes it easier to plop into the mixture.

Put back into the oven for another 12 to 15 minutes or until the eggs are cooked to your liking and the pasta is golden and bubbling.

Garnish with some sort of herbs then serve in giant portions with the roasted tomatoes on the side if you haven’t stirred them into your dish.

I’m not sure I could eat this for breakfast as I am more of a black coffee and a ciggie kind of girl. However, come supper time, this bacon, sausage and egg loaded pasta dish is just divine. And I promise they’ll be no judgement if you do want to eat it at 7am.

Lucy x

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Full English Mac and Cheese recipe

Serves 4 to 6 generously, even by my standards

You will need an Instant Pot and oven trays for this recipe if you don’t have an Instant Pot feel free to use this Mac and Cheese recipe instead

Full English

6 rashers bacon, streaky or back, it’s up to you

6 sausages

200g cherry tomatoes

Splash olive oil

Instant Pot Mac and Cheese

500g macaroni

900ml water

1 teaspoon salt

60g butter, cut into squares

500g grated cheese, I think the pre grated variety is best here as it contains a bit of cornflour so slightly thickens the mixture

100ml milk

Salt and pepper to taste

4 to 6 eggs, allow one per person

Chives or parsley to garnish

Make a start with the Full English element of your dish. Take a large baking tray, line with baking paper, and lay out the bacon rashers. Skin the sausages and roll the sausage meat from each sausage into two balls. Pop these on the baking tray too and bake the bacon and sausage balls in a hot oven, 220 degrees fan, for 15 minutes until they’re both crisp and golden. Once the bacon has cooled, chop into strips.

Bake the cherry tomatoes seasoned with salt and pepper and a splash of olive oil on another baking tray for 15 minutes.

Turn the oven down to 180 degrees fan. For the Instant Pot mac and cheese tip the macaroni into the metal bowl of your IP. Pour on 900ml cold water, stir in a teaspoon of salt then add the butter. Put the lid on your Instant Pot, turn the dial to seal then set to manual for 4 minutes.

Once the time is up, release the steam via the quick release action. Stir the cooked macaroni to break it up then add the grated cheese, reserving a handful for the top. Loosen the sauce with roughly 100ml of milk, you may need a little more or a little less, until the macaroni is well coated. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, then stir in the chopped crispy bacon, sausage balls and tomatoes (unless you would prefer to serve them on the side) then scrape into a large baking dish. Bake for 5 minutes.

Remove from the oven and make a well in the macaroni for each egg. Crack the egg into a small pot then tip into the hole then repeat with the rest of your eggs. Put the dish back into the oven and cook for around 12 to 15 minutes or until the eggs are cooked to your liking.

Serve piping hot, garnished with chopped chives or parsley, in large cheesy portions.