French Onion Soup Mac & Cheese

Serves 1
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Directions

  1. 1Peel and julienne 3 white onions.
  2. 2Add the onions into a pan with unsalted butter and a pinch of salt, and cook over a medium heat for 30-40 minutes until dark, golden and caramelised.
  3. 3Remove the leaves from a few sprigs of thyme and finely chop them.
  4. 4Add 300ml of beef stock and 1 tbsp of thyme to the caramelized onions.
  5. 5Turn the heat to medium-high and cook for 10 minutes until most of the stock has been absorbed and evaporated.
  6. 6Slice 1 small baguette into discs to make breadcrumbs.
  7. 7Add the baguette slices into a bowl with olive oil, thyme, and salt, then mix until evenly coated.
  8. 8Lay the bread slices out onto a baking tray.
  9. 9Cook in the oven for 5-10 minutes until golden and crisp.
  10. 10Bring a large pot of water to a boil, season with salt, and add 500g of spirali (cavatappi) pasta.
  11. 11Cook the pasta for 8-10 minutes until just al dente.
  12. 12Melt 110g of unsalted butter in a pan over medium heat.
  13. 13Mix in 110g of all-purpose flour until combined and cook for a few minutes.
  14. 14Gradually whisk in 1.1L of whole milk, taking your time to ensure no lumps form.
  15. 15Once the milk is mixed in, bubble the sauce for a few minutes, constantly stirring so the bottom doesn’t burn.
  16. 16Remove the béchamel from the heat.
  17. 17Add 1 tsp of Dijon mustard, 5 gratings of nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste.
  18. 18Grate 100g of Gruyere cheese.
  19. 19Add 100g of grated Gruyere cheese and 100g of grated mozzarella cheese to the béchamel sauce.
  20. 20Add 2/3rds of the caramelized onions to the sauce.
  21. 21Set the sauce aside until ready to use.
  22. 22Place the cooked pasta in a large pan.
  23. 23Pour the sauce over the pasta and mix.
  24. 24If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of reserved pasta water and mix.
  25. 25Remove the cooked bread from the oven and place it into a blender.
  26. 26Blitz the bread into coarse breadcrumbs.
  27. 27Smooth out the pasta and sauce mixture in the pan.
  28. 28Top with the breadcrumbs and the remaining caramelized onions.
  29. 29Place the pan under the grill for 5 minutes to toast the breadcrumbs a little more.
  30. 30Remove from the oven and serve.

Ingredients

  • 3 julienned white onions
  • 65 g unsalted butter
  • pinch salt
  • 1 tbsp thyme
  • 300 ml beef stock
  • 1 small baguette
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 110 g unsalted butter
  • 110 g all purpose flour
  • 1.1 l whole milk
  • 100 g gruyere cheese
  • 100 g mozzarella cheese
  • 1 tsp dijon mustard
  • 5 gratings nutmeg
  • pepper
  • 500 g spirali (cavatappi) pasta

Equipment

panknifebaking trayblenderwhisklarge pot
French Onion Soup Mac & Cheese | Clip Recipe