Ingredients
- 4 cups milk
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 cup butter
- 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups grated Cheddar or Parmesan and Cheddar mixture
- 2/3 cup bread crumbs
- 1 pound macaroni
- salt
- pepper
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in plenty of boiling water with a few teaspoons of salt until al dente (firm but not hard.) Drain and run cold water over the top of the paste in the strainer, to stop it from cooking.
- Make béchamel sauce by gently heating milk with bay leaves and nutmeg in a small sauce pan. Do not let it boil.
- Melt the butter in a medium heavy-bottom saucepan. Add the flour and mix it in with a whisk. Cook for 2-3 minutes, but do not let the butter burn. Strain the hot milk into the flour and butter mixture all at once, and mix smoothly with the whisk. Bring the sauce to a boil, stirring constantly, and cook for 4 minutes more.
- Season with salt and pepper. Add 2.5 cups of cheese and stir over low heat until melted.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a casserole dish and sprinkle bottom with half the bread crumbs.
- Combine pasta with sauce. Pour it into the casserole dish. Sprinkle the top with the remaining breadcrumbs and cheese. Bake in the center of the oven for 20 minutes until golden and bubbling.
