Craving a mac attack? Then you’ll love this recipe for Comté mac ‘n cheese with a hazelnut panko crust.
Yeah, I know. That was a really cheesy way to introduce this recipe. Even a little bit nutty. Doh! There I go again. Anyway, however much my dumb rhymes and pathetic puns might cause you to cringe, I’m certain they’re worth it for the taste of this easy to make version of macaroni and cheese.
Comté and hazelnut are especially tasty together. Plus, Comté is an smart choice for a hearty and robust mac ‘n cheese. So coming up with a dish that incorporates both ingredients seemed like a smart idea.
Key to it being a hit though is mixing in the right amounts of salt and Dijon. Comté isn’t a sharp or salty cheese (like Cheddar); so it needs something tangy to give it some lift. Dijon does that. In future versions I might use Parmigian-Reggiano – maybe just on top with the hazelnuts and panko for a richer or savoury result.
HAZELNUT MAC N CHEESE Yum
Ingredients (for 12-16 small or 8 large servings)
- 350g pasta (elbow or shells);
- 75-100g of table salt to taste (few tablespoons of table salt);
- 50-75g butter to taste;
- 60-75g Dijon mustard to taste;
- Finely chopped parsley to taste (about 2 heaping tablespoons);
- 700ml milk (I recommend whole milk);
- 100g all-purpose flour;
- 1 small white onion cut in half;
- Pinch or two of freshly grated nutmeg to taste;
- 300g grated Comté;
- 50g panko;
- 75-100g coarsely chopped hazelnuts;
- Black pepper to taste.
Method
- Pre-heat oven to 180°C;
- Cook the pasta in boiling water with a few pinches of salt (until al dente is best in my opinion);
- Drain the pasta and stir in a small pat of butter, the Dijon, and about ¾ of the parsley and let sit;
- Make the béchamel:
– Pour the milk into a saucepan and with the remaining parsley, nutmeg and onion;
– Heat the saucepan over medium low heat to simmering point;
– Remove from heat, strain the milk and let sit;
– In another pot, heat the butter over medium heat;
– When the butter is melted, add the flour and whisk constantly until the butter and flour are completely mixed together and have turned light brown (this could take2-3 minutes;
– Turn down the heat;
– Slowly pour the milk into the pot with the butter-flour mixture, constantly whisking and smoothing out any lumps until the sauce becomes thick and completely smooth (this could take 2-3 minutes); - Add the béchamel to the pasta and mix evenly;
- Taste for salt and Dijon and add accordingly;
- Grease a baking pan with butter, pour in the pasta and spread evenly;
- Top with an even spread of hazelnuts and panko;
- Bake approximately 30 minutes or until the nuts start to brown;
- Top with freshly grated black pepper immediately after removing from the oven;
Serve
This a dish most delicious when it’s served hot – just not too hot. Allow to cool before diving in. That said it ain’t bad cold (and some might say mac ‘n cheese is better reheated anyway). It’s a great side for BBQs, seafood, or accompanied with ham, bitter greens …
Read more tikichris recipes. For more Comté recipes and tips go to comtecheese.co.uk.
