Mac & Cheese

This recipe makes 6 portions - use whatever pasta you have in the cupboard. You can also sub in any cheese you have.
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500g macaroni pasta
200g bacon lardons
60g butter
60g plain flour
1 litre whole milk
160g mature cheddar, grated
160g Gruyere cheese, grated
125g ball of Mozzarella, grated
1 tsp Mustard
Salt & Pepper
30g breadcrumbs
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Preheat the oven to 200C / 180C fan / Gas Mark 6.

Bring a big pan of water to the boil and add the pasta - cook for around 10 minutes until al dente. Once cooked, set aside in a large bowl with a little of the cooking water.

Cook off the bacon lardons in a large saucepan until crispy. Put the cooked bacon and fat on top of the cooked pasta. Put pan back on the heat.

Put the butter into the pan and melt - add the plain flour and bring it together with a whisk until it’s a thick paste. Cook out the flour for a least 2 - 3 minutes. Meanwhile, heat up the milk either in a pan or the microwave.

Slowly pour the milk into the butter & flour mixture. It will thicken quickly - keep adding the milk slowly until it is all combined into a smooth white sauce.

Set aside a small amount of cheese to top the bake - put the remaining cheese into the white sauce and stir until melted. Taste and season with a little mustard, salt and pepper.

Pour the finished sauce over the cooked pasta and bacon. Stir until fully coated. Scrape everything into an ovenproof dish.

Sprinkle over the remaining cheese and the breadcrumbs for crunch. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes to melt the cheese and crisp up the top.