Francesinha Mac and Cheese Bake

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200 °C for 10 min.

   oven

2. Bring the water and 70% of the salt to a boil in a 20 cm pot on high heat, add the pasta and cook for 7 min. Cook it 2 minutes less than the packet says so it still has a firm core and doesn't go mushy in the oven. Drain.

   Add in this stepWater (for the pasta) 1½ LSalt 1 tspMacaroni or other short pasta 160 g

   high heat

3. Cut the linguiça into half-moons and the ham into 1 cm dice. Fry them in a dry pan on medium heat for 4 min, until the edges crisp, then set aside.

   Add in this stepSmoked linguiça (or chorizo) 80 gHam 60 g

   medium heat

4. Melt the butter in the same pan on medium-low heat, add the flour and stir for 1 minute. Pour in the milk a little at a time, whisking constantly to smooth out lumps, then add the beer, tomato paste, paprika and piri-piri and simmer for 5 min, stirring, into a thick orange sauce. Off the heat, melt in 70% of the cheddar and the remaining salt.

   Add in this stepButter 25 gPlain flour 20 gMilk 240 mlLager beer 100 mlTomato paste 2 tbspSmoked paprika ½ tspPiri-piri sauce (or hot sauce) ½ tspCheddar, grated 84 gSalt ½ tsp

   medium-low heat

5. Fold the pasta and three-quarters of the meats into the sauce and spoon into a 20×15 cm baking dish. Scatter the rest of the meats and cheese on top, and make one hollow per egg with the back of a spoon.

   Add in this stepCheddar, grated 36 g

6. Bake in the oven for 10 min, until bubbling at the edges, then crack an egg into each hollow. Return for 7 min, until the whites are set and the yolks still wobble.

   Add in this stepEggs 2

   oven

7. Rest for 3 minutes so the sauce settles, then break the yolks into the pasta as you eat.