Macaroni cheese

Serves 4-6 

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 50 minutes

Ingredients
175g mature cheddar, grated 
75g gruyère grated 
50g parmesan (or vegetarian alternative), grated 
400g macaroni 
700ml full-fat milk 
50g butter 
50g plain flour 
1 tsp Dijon mustard 
4 tbsps panko breadcrumbs (optional)

Method
Preheat the oven to 200c. 

Mix the cheeses together. 

Put a pan of heavily salted water on to boil. Put the pasta into the boiling water and cook according to the packet instructions. 

Meanwhile melt the butter in an oven proof pan (big enough to take all of the sauce), then stir in the flour and cook out for 1 minute, stirring, then take off the heat and gradually add the milk and continually whisk until smooth.  Put back on the heat and cook for 5 minutes or so to make it go glossy.   

Turn off the heat and add the mustard and stir again then add three quarters of the cheese stirring until melted. 

Just before you drain the pasta take out a cup of water. 

Put the pasta into the cheese sauce and combine.  If the sauce looks too thick then add a little of the pasta water until it slackens and coats the pasta nicely.  Check for seasoning and add more salt if needed and ½ tsp of ground white pepper and stir through.  Top with the remaining cheese and the breadcrumbs if you are using them and put into the oven for 30 minutes until golden.