Macaroni Cheese

Method

1. Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan). Pour 180 ml milk into a small pan with the bay leaf, bring just to a tremble over a low heat, then take off the heat and leave to infuse while you cook the pasta.
2. Bring a pan of well-salted water to a rolling boil and cook 90 g macaroni for 1 minute less than the packet time, so it still has bite. Drain in a colander and leave to steam dry — do not rinse.
3. In the empty milk pan (bay leaf fished out and milk set aside), melt 12 g butter over a medium-low heat. Stir in 12 g plain flour and cook the roux for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until it smells biscuity but has taken no colour.
4. Add the warm infused milk a splash at a time, whisking each addition smooth before the next. Simmer gently for 4-5 minutes, stirring, until the sauce is glossy and thickly coats the back of a spoon.