MAC AND CHEESE IN LONDON RECIPES

Steps:

• Put the milk, all the cheeses, mustard powder, a generous pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper into a slow cooker. Stir well, then add the macaroni and mix again. Cook on low for 1 1/2- 2 1/2 hours until the pasta is cooked and the sauce is creamy. Stir in a splash of milk if the mixture is a little stiff. 
• Cook bacon, then add before serving (you can use ready-cooked bacon if you prefer).

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a large saucepan, stir in the plain flour and cook for a minute. Add the mustard, then take the pan off the heat and gradually whisk in the milk and cream. Add the bay leaf, put the pan back on the heat and cook the sauce, stirring constantly, until it boils and is thick and bubbling.

  Take the pan off the heat again, remove the bay leaf and add the Cheddar, then keep stirring until the cheese has melted. Season with black pepper and nutmeg.

  Boil the macaroni in a large pan of salted boiling water (with a ratio of 1 teaspoon of salt per 600ml of water) for about 10 minutes or until al dente, then drain well.

  Butter an ovenproof dish that’s about 35 x 20cm in size and preheat the oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C. Fry the bacon lardons or pancetta until crisp and add them to the cheese sauce. Stir the cooked macaroni into the sauce and pour everything into the buttered dish. Mix the breadcrumbs with the Parmesan and scatter them over the top. Bake for 25–30 minutes until golden and bubbling. Serve with a green salad.