Mac and Cheese
A proper stovetop mac and cheese — a silky cheddar sauce clinging to every piece of pasta, no boxed powder required.
Method
1
Cook the pasta
Boil the macaroni in salted water until al dente. Drain and set aside.
2
Make the roux
Melt the butter in a saucepan, whisk in the flour, and cook for 1 minute until it smells nutty.
3
Build the sauce
Gradually whisk in the milk, a splash at a time, until smooth. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
4
Melt in the cheese
Remove from the heat and stir in the cheddar, parmesan and mustard powder until melted and glossy. Season with salt and pepper.
5
Combine and serve
Fold the macaroni through the sauce. Serve straight away, or scatter with breadcrumbs and grill for 5 minutes until golden and bubbling.
TipTake the sauce off the heat before adding the cheese — direct heat can make it split and turn grainy instead of staying smooth.