Green Bean Mac ‘N’ Cheese

Link to original recipe via BBC good food https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/green-bean-mac-n-cheese

Ingredients

• 30 g butter or 2 tbsp of vegetable oil
• 3 tbsp plain or wholemeal flour
• 500 ml milk
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• 350g macaroni (or other pasta tubes)
• 185g sliced runner and 220g green beans (combine as you prefer)
• 140g mature cheddar cheese (half chopped, half grated)
• 25g pumpkin seeds (optional)
• peppery salad (such as rocket & watercress), to serve (optional)

Method

1. Put the oil in a medium saucepan over a medium heat, add the flour and stir well.
2. Turn off/remove from heat while you slowly pour in a little of the milk at a time and mix well until smooth. Add a little more milk, repeating until all the milk has been added and you have a smooth sauce.
3. Return saucepan to medium heat and continue to stir sauce until thickened.
4. Stir in the nutmeg and season with salt and pepper. Take off the heat while you cook the pasta.
5. Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7.
6. Bring a large pan of water to the boil, add the macaroni and boil for 8 mins.
7. Add the runner beans and green beans, and boil for a further 3 mins.
8. Drain the pasta and the beans, and tip into a large gratin dish.
9. Pour over the prepared sauce and tuck the chopped cheese in among the pasta, then top with the grated cheese and pumpkin seeds.
10. Bake for 10-15 mins or until the top is bubbling and golden. Serve with a peppery salad, if you like.