Baked Mac and Cheese with Roasted Pumpkin

1. 1 Pastapack 450 g ≈ $1.36 75 g
2. 2 Pumpkinpack 1 kg ≈ $2.80 170 g
3. 3 Milk 2.5%pack 930 ml ≈ $0.91 140 ml
4. 4 Hard cheesepack 200 g ≈ $2.64 55 g
5. 5 Butterpack 180 g ≈ $1.60 15 g
6. 6 Wheat flour 12 g
7. 7 Breadcrumbs 12 g
8. 8 Salt 2 g
9. 9 Ground black pepper 1 g

Grey rows are pantry staples: salt, oil, spices. They are not counted in the serving price.

Method

1. Cut pumpkin² into ½-inch cubes, boil in a small amount of water for 10–12 minutes until tender, then mash into a smooth purée.

2. Cook macaroni 2 minutes less than package instructions, drain well.

3. Melt butter⁵ in a saucepan, whisk in flour, and cook for 1 minute until golden.

4. Gradually whisk in milk³ until smooth, then simmer for 3 minutes until slightly thickened.

5. Stir in pumpkin² purée, grated cheese, salt, and pepper until cheese melts completely.

6. Fold sauce into macaroni, transfer to a baking dish, and top with breadcrumbs.

7. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 15–18 minutes until golden and bubbly.