Ingredients

500g

pasta

1 tablespoon

vegetable oil

2 tablespoons

unsalted butter

cloves of garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon

English mustard powder

3 tablespoons

plain flour

250ml

whole milk

250ml

single cream

250g

mature Cheddar cheese, grated

a large handful of kale leaves, chopped

50g

Parmesan cheese, grated

freshly ground black pepper

Prep: 15 minutes Cook: 25 minutes

Can be frozen

Credit: Nadiya Hussain's cookbook Nadiya's Kitchen is out now (Penguin, HB, £20)

"I am not averse to a massive bowl of mac and cheese for dinner, but it took a while to convince my family that sometimes this is OK: it doesn’t always have to be rice and curry, or curry and rice. I don’t mean the kind that comes out of a can and isn’t sure if it is mac and cheese or baby custard mixed with overcooked pasta – it doesn’t have to be like a school dinner nightmare. Proper home-cooked mac and cheese is warm, hearty and delicious. This recipe, with mustard and kale to add interest, makes for a delicious one-pot meal." (Nadiya Hussain)

Serves 6.

Method

Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C.
Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil, and cook the pasta for 3 minutes less than the recommended time on the packet. Drain and add the oil, stirring it through. This will stop the pasta sticking together.
Melt the butter in a small pan over a medium heat, then add the garlic and mustard powder and cook for 1 minute.
Stir in the flour, and cook for another minute, mixing all the time.
Add the milk and the cream, and whisk until the sauce is smooth and lump-free. Continue to whisk until the sauce thickens.
Take the pan off the heat, add the grated Cheddar cheese and leave it to melt, stirring occasionally.
Now tip the pasta and kale into an ovenproof dish, and pour over the sauce. Bake for 20 minutes, until the top is crisp and golden.
Sprinkle with the Parmesan and a good grind of black pepper to serve.

For more information about Nadiya Hussain, please visit her website: www.nadiyahussain.com

If you loved this recipe, why not try other ones from her cookbook Nadiya’s Kitchen:

Feta & Dill Savoury Muffins

Parsnip & Orange Spiced Cake

Spiced Biscotti with an Orange Syllabub Dip

Chilli Cheese Burritos

Peanut, Black Sesame & Ginger Brittle