Huxtaburger's mac 'n' cheese with smoked mozzarella

Macaroni cheese is such a crowd pleaser. Here's a nice one to serve alongside some tasty burgers, from the new Huxtaburger cookbook.

BAKED MACARONI WITH THREE CHEESES

250g macaroni

1 bunch chives, thinly sliced

200g scamorza (smoked mozzarella), cut into 1cm cubes

75g (½ cup) grated pepper jack cheese

Bechamel sauce

25g butter

25g plain (all-purpose) flour

500ml (2 cups) milk

100g cheddar, grated

1. For the bechamel sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add the flour and cook until it just begins to smell nutty, but has no colour.

2. Add the milk and cook, stirring constantly, until it begins to boil. Now turn the heat down and simmer for five to 10 minutes, or until the flour is cooked out and the liquid has thickened a little. Be careful not to burn the bottom of the pan, so keep stirring. Stir in the cheese and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Add the macaroni, stir well, and cook according to the packet instructions.

4. Once the pasta is just al dente, drain well in a colander. Let sit for 10 minutes for all the water to drain off.

5. To finish, preheat the oven to 175C. Place the macaroni in a bowl and pour the bechamel sauce over. Toss the chives and mozzarella through, then transfer to an appropriately sized baking dish. Top with the grated pepper jack cheese.

6. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the sides are bubbling and the cheese on top is golden.

Serves 4 as part of a shared meal.

This is an edited extract from The Huxtaburger Book by Daniel Wilson published by Hardie Grant Books $29.95 and is available in stores nationally.