Macaroni and Cheese

Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Bring a large pan of well-salted water to the boil and cook the macaroni for 2 minutes less than the packet says, so it is still firm in the middle. Drain well and leave in the colander.

While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a large saucepan over a medium-low heat. Stir in the flour, mustard powder and paprika and cook for 2 minutes, stirring, until the paste smells faintly of biscuits but has not taken on any colour.

Take the pan off the heat and pour in the milk a splash at a time, whisking after each addition so the paste loosens without lumps. Add the bay leaf, return the pan to a medium heat and stir continuously for 8 to 10 minutes, until the sauce just starts to bubble and coats the back of a spoon.

Turn the heat down and simmer very gently for 2 minutes. Remove the bay leaf, then take the pan off the heat. Stir in the nutmeg and 220g of the cheddar a handful at a time, letting each handful melt before adding the next. Season generously with salt and pepper. The sauce should taste slightly over-seasoned, because the pasta will dilute it.

Fold the drained macaroni into the sauce. It should look loose and a little too saucy, since the pasta keeps absorbing liquid in the oven.

Tip the mixture into a 2-litre ovenproof dish and level the top. Mix the breadcrumbs with the remaining 40g cheddar and the olive oil, then scatter evenly over the surface.

Bake for 25 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling at the edges and the topping is deep golden. Rest for 5 minutes before serving so the sauce settles.