Braai recipes

Sundried tomato chicken espetadas with poppy seed dressing

35 minutes

Soup recipes

Tomato broth with baby spinach, cannellini beans and olives

1 hour 15 minutes

Chilli recipes

Tomato curry with coconut-hazelnut rice

30 minutes

Brinjal recipes

Roasted tomato sauce with ricotta and pine nuts

10 minutes

Great value

Flavourburst nectarine-and-tomato gazpacho

Berry recipes

Grilled halloumi, sweet strawberry and tomato salad

5 minutes

Anchovy recipes

Slow poached tomatoes in garlic and anchovy oil

1 hour and 20 minutes

Great value

Tomato soup with toasted cheesy melt

25 minutes

Great value

Pork meatballs in tomato sauce

30 minutes

Cheese recipes

Mac and cheese with tomato and prawns

45 minutes

Mac and cheese with tomato and prawns

By Phillippa Cheifitz

Serves 4

Difficulty Easy

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cooking Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

80 g butter
¼ cup flour
2 cups full-cream milk, heated
250 g grated cheese (a mix of Gruyere and Parmesan)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
250 g macaroni, cooked and drained

For the tomato-and-prawn sauce:

1 small onion, finely chopped
2 T olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 x 400 g whole Italian tomatoes can, blended
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
200 g prawns, cooked, peeled, deveined and trimmed
2 T basil, torn
grated cheese (a mix of Gruyere and Parmesan)

Method

Preheat the oven to 200ºC. Melt 60 g butter in a medium saucepan, then stir in the flour until smooth. Gradually whisk in the hot milk and cook, stirring all the time, until thick and smooth. Season to taste. Stir in 180 g cheese until melted. Reserve the rest for topping.

To make the tomato-and-prawn sauce, gently cook the onion in the oil until very soft. Stir in the garlic. Add the tomatoes and seasoning. Simmer fairly briskly, uncovered, for 10–15 minutes until reduced to a saucy consistency. Check the seasoning. Allow to cool for about 10 minutes. Stir in the prawns and basil.

To assemble, mix the cheese sauce with the well-drained macaroni and turn half into a buttered oval or oblong baking dish, 28–30 cm in length. Alternatively, use individual baking dishes. Spoon over the tomato-and-prawn sauce and layer the rest of the macaroni on top. Sprinkle with the reserved cheese and dot with the remaining butter. Bake immediately or refrigerate until needed. (If you do, allow it to come to room temperature before popping in the oven.) Bake for 15–20 minutes until golden and bubbly.

Cook's note: A layer of home-made tomato sauce elevates this family favourite to something completely different. Stud it with prawns and you’ll never go back to your old ways.

DISCOVER MORE EASY RECIPES HERE

Spinach lasagne

Three-bean salad with kombucha dressing

Lentil, grilled brinjal and butternut salad with tahini dressing

Sundried tomato chicken espetadas with poppy seed dressing

Tomato broth with baby spinach, cannellini beans and olives

Tomato curry with coconut-hazelnut rice

Tomato caponata pasta

Tomato tarte tatin

Roasted tomato sauce with ricotta and pine nuts

Flavourburst nectarine-and-tomato gazpacho

Grilled halloumi, sweet strawberry and tomato salad

Slow poached tomatoes in garlic and anchovy oil

Tomato soup with toasted cheesy melt

Pork meatballs in tomato sauce

Mac and cheese with tomato and prawns

Mac and cheese with tomato and prawns

Ingredients

Method