Baked Mac and Cheese

Ingredients

Method

1. 1

   Cook the pasta in heavily salted boiling water for 2 minutes less than the package says — it finishes cooking in the oven. Reserve a cup of pasta water, then drain without rinsing. Melt the butter in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat, add the flour all at once and whisk constantly for a full 2 minutes, until pale golden and slightly nutty-smelling. Pour in the warm milk in a slow, steady stream, whisking non-stop, then add the cream. Cook, stirring often, about 5 minutes until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Remove the pan completely from the heat and count to 30 — cheese added over a boil turns grainy and oily. Stir in the cheddar, gruyère and parmesan in two additions, stirring until fully smooth between each, then season with the Dijon, smoked paprika, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Fold the drained pasta through the sauce until every piece is coated, loosening with a splash of reserved pasta water if very thick, and pour into a buttered baking dish. Mix the panko with the melted butter, parmesan and smoked paprika and scatter evenly over the top. Bake 20–25 minutes, until bubbling at the edges and deep golden on top. Rest 5 minutes before serving.