Mac and Cheese

Bring a pot of generously salted water to the boil. Cook macaroni until al dente. Drain pasta and run it under cold water until cool. Set aside for later. Preheat oven to 200ºC (390ºF).

Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add flour and mix to make the roux. Cook for 2–3 minutes, mixing slowly but constantly, making sure there are no lumps. Add 1 quarter of the milk and whisk rigorously. Once the sauce begins to thicken, whisk in a little more milk. Keep doing this until you have incorporated all the milk. Gently bring the béchamel sauce to boil, whilst slowly stirring. When it starts to bubble, turn the heat down to very low.

Gently stir in 4/5th of cheese, adding a little at a time. Once the sauce is smooth, stir in the mustard and paprika. Taste and season with salt and white pepper. Add the macaroni and mix.

Transfer to an ovenproof dish. Sprinkle a layer of remaining cheese then a layer of breadcrumbs on top. Bake for 30 minutes or until top is golden brown.

Serve fresh from the dish/pot.