Sweet Potato Mac & Cheese

This wasn't as sweet as I expected it to be, I think what the sweet potato actually adds is a creaminess which allows you to use less dairy.

Ingredients

• 500g sweet potatoes (frozen works just as well)

• 300g short pasta

• 4 tbsp soft unsalted butter

• 3 tbsp plain flour

• 500ml full fat milk

• 1 tsp English mustard

• ¼ tsp paprika

• 75g feta cheese, crumbled

• 125g mature cheddar (plus extra to sprinkle on top)

• Sea salt flakes (to taste)

• Pepper (to taste)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C Fan.

2. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them roughly into 2–3cm pieces.

3. Cook them for about 10 minutes in salted water until soft.

4. Drain and lightly mash with a fork. Don’t get rid of this water, as you will need it to cook your pasta in.

5. Gently melt the butter and add the flour, whisking to form a roux.

6. Take the pan off the heat and slowly whisk in the milk

7. Once combined and smooth put back on the heat and stir until gently bubbling and thickened.

8. Add the mustard and paprika.

9. Cook the pasta in the sweet-potato water until al dente.

10. Drain (reserving some of the pasta cooking water), add to the mashed sweet potato and fold in to combine.

11. Crumble in the feta cheese and disperse evenly.

12. Fold in the white sauce.

13. Add the grated Cheddar.

14. Add some of the pasta cooking water if it feels a bit dry.

15. Spoon into an overproof dish and sprinkle on the remaining Cheddar.

16. Bake for 30–35 minutes.