So I am getting creative using up my courgettes as they are bang in season. I then had a faint memory or a mac n cheese that was in one of my magazines so thought id give it a bash. It was delicious! The courgettes adds a bit of freshness. It also takes it to another level so if you were going to cook one for a girls night for example it just makes it more of a show stopper.

Ingredients

• 150g elbow or macaroni pasta, cooked to packet instructions for al dente
• 3 spring onions, white part only finely sliced
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and sliced thinly
• 2 courgettes,  grated
• 50g butter
• 50g plain flour
• 1 pint of skimmed milk
• 50g extra mature cheddar
• ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 20g parmesan
• 50g breadcrumbs
• Seasoning to taste
• Oil for frying

Directions

1. Pre heat oven to 200 degrees fan
2. Heat some oil in a pan (about ½ tbsp). add the spring onions, garlic and pepper flakes. Cook for a couple of minutes. Add the courgette and cook for a further 5 minutes. Take off the heat and set aside.
3. In a saucepan melt the butter. Add the flour and give it a good stir. Cook out the flour for a couple of minutes moving it so it doesn’t burn. Add the milk and keep whisking until smooth until its thickened for about 5 minutes. Stir in the nutmeg, cheddar and ½ the parmesan cheese. Add a crack of pepper. Taste and adjust salt to taste. Stir in the pasta.
4. In an oven proof dish, pour in the pasta mixture. Then add your courgette mixture in another layer. Sprinkle over the breadcrumbs and remaining parmesan. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until bubbling and breadcrumbs have gone brown. Serve and enjoy 😊