2 servings
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Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C (fan)/gas 7 and boil a kettle.
Add your butternut squash cubes to a baking tray with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt and give everything a good mix up. Put the tray in the oven for 15-20 min or until the squash is tender – this is your roasted butternut squash.
Meanwhile, add your macaroni to a pot of boiled water and bring to the boil over a high heat. Cook the macaroni for 6-7 min or until cooked with a bite. Once done, drain the macaroni reserving 150ml [195ml] [200ml] starchy pasta water and set aside until later, reserve the pot.
While the pasta is cooking, peel and finely chop your brown onion[s]. Peel and finely chop (or grate) your garlic. Grate your cheddar cheese. Combine your panko breadcrumbs with your ground sumac, 1/3 of your grated cheese and a drizzle of olive oil – this is your sumac crumb.
Return the reserved pot to a medium heat with 2 tbsp [3 tbsp] [4 tbsp] olive oil. Once hot, add the chopped onion and garlic to the pot and cook for 3-4 min or until slightly softened. Once softened, add 20g [30g] [40g] flour and stir with a wooden spoon for 1-2 min or until a sandy paste coats the onion – this is your roux.
Gradually whisk in 200ml [260ml] [300ml] milk and the starchy pasta water to the roux, a little at a time, and cook for 4-5 min or until a smooth, thick sauce remains. Once done, add the remaining grated cheese, vegetable stock mix and harissa paste (can't handle the heat? Go easy) – this is your harissa béchamel sauce.
Add the roasted butternut squash to the harissa béchamel sauce with the drained macaroni and stir everything together – this is your mac 'n' cheese mixture. Transfer the mac 'n' cheese mixture to an oven-proof dish. Sprinkle over the sumac crumb and put the dish in the oven for 10 min or until golden and bubbling – this is your harissa mac 'n' cheese.
While the mac 'n' cheese is cooking, wash your baby leaf salad and pat dry with kitchen paper. Add the baby leaf salad to a large bowl with your white wine vinegar and a drizzle of olive oil – this is your dressed salad. Chop your parsley finely, including the stalks.
Serve the harissa mac 'n' cheese with the dressed salad to the side. Garnish with the chopped parsley. Enjoy!
Swap ingredients you don't have, make it spicier, find a vegan version, or get creative!
