Baked Mac and Cheese

1. 1Heat the oven to 190°C / 170°C fan / 375°F. Grate all the cheese yourself — pre-grated cheese is dusted with anti-caking starch that turns the sauce grainy.
2. 2Boil the macaroni in well-salted water for 2 minutes less than the packet says. It finishes cooking in the oven, and fully cooked pasta now means mush later. Drain and rinse briefly under cold water to stop it.
3. 3Melt the butter in a large pan over medium heat, stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until it smells biscuity. Don't let it colour.
4. 4Add the warm milk a ladleful at a time, whisking each addition smooth before the next. Adding it all at once is what causes lumps. Drop in the bay leaf and simmer gently for 8 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
5. 5Take the pan off the heat entirely and remove the bay leaf. Now stir in the Cheddar and Gruyère a handful at a time. Residual heat is enough to melt them; direct heat makes the proteins tighten and squeeze out oil.
6. 6Season with the mustard powder, nutmeg, salt and white pepper, then taste. It should be a touch saltier than comfortable — the pasta will absorb a good deal of it.
7. 7Fold the macaroni through the sauce and tip into a buttered baking dish. Toss the panko with the olive oil and Parmesan and scatter over the top.
8. 8Bake for 20–25 minutes, until the top is golden and the edges are bubbling. Rest for 10 minutes before serving so it sets enough to hold a spoon-shape on the plate.

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