Mac and Cheese

Mac and cheese is the uncrowned king of American comfort food: double-cheesy, creamy pasta with a crisp crumb top.

1. Cook the macaroni in salted water for 2 minutes less than recommended, then strain it – it softens further in the oven.

2. Melt the butter, stir the flour into it, and fry it, stirring, for 2 minutes.

3. Gradually add the milk, and cook it into a lump-free, thick béchamel.

4. Take it off the heat, and stir in three-quarters of the grated cheddar, the English mustard and the nutmeg.

5. Fold the pasta into the sauce, and smooth it into a buttered ovenproof dish.

6. Sprinkle over the remaining cheese and the breadcrumbs, then bake at 190 °C for 20 minutes, until the top is golden.

Tip: Always stir the cheese in off the heat – boiled it curdles, and the sauce turns oily and grainy.