Mac & cheese with bacon recipe
 Someone I met in Palermo once told me that the secret of good Italian dishes is ‘esagera’ – put more of everything in – and so it is with this mac & cheese recipe. There’s masses of cheese and plenty of smoked bacon. Equipment: you will need a 35x20cm/14x8in ovenproof dish. 100g/3½oz butter, plus extra for greasing100g/3½oz plain flour1 tsp Dijon mustard1.2 litres/2 pints full-fat milk75ml/2½fl oz double cream1 bay leaf400g/14oz mature cheddar, gratedpinch freshly grated nutmeg500g/1lb 2oz dried macaroni100g/3½oz smoked bacon lardons or smoked pancetta cubes60g/2¼oz white breadcrumbs50g/1¾oz Parmesan, gratedsalt and freshly ground black pepper 100g/3½oz butter, plus extra for greasing 100g/3½oz plain flour 1 tsp Dijon mustard 1.2 litres/2 pints full-fat milk 75ml/2½fl oz double cream 1 bay leaf 400g/14oz mature cheddar, grated pinch freshly grated nutmeg 500g/1lb 2oz dried macaroni 100g/3½oz smoked bacon lardons or smoked pancetta cubes 60g/2¼oz white breadcrumbs 50g/1¾oz Parmesan, grated salt and freshly ground black pepper Method Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6 and grease a 35x20cm/14x8in ovenproof dish..Melt the butter in a large saucepan over a low heat. Stir in the plain flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the mustard, take the pan off the heat and gradually whisk in the milk and cream. Add the bay leaf.Put the pan back over the heat, stirring constantly, until it boils and thickens. Take the pan off the heat again, remove the bay leaf and add the cheddar. Stir until the cheese has melted. Season with lots of black pepper and some nutmeg. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and stir in the macaroni. Cook for 10 minutes, or until al dente, drain well and add to the sauce.Fry the bacon in a frying pan until crisp. Stir into the macaroni cheese and pour the mixture into the ovenproof dish. Mix the breadcrumbs with the Parmesan and scatter over the top. Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until golden-brown and bubbling. Serve immediately. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6 and grease a 35x20cm/14x8in ovenproof dish.. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6 and grease a 35x20cm/14x8in ovenproof dish.. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over a low heat. Stir in the plain flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the mustard, take the pan off the heat and gradually whisk in the milk and cream. Add the bay leaf. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over a low heat. Stir in the plain flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the mustard, take the pan off the heat and gradually whisk in the milk and cream. Add the bay leaf. Put the pan back over the heat, stirring constantly, until it boils and thickens. Take the pan off the heat again, remove the bay leaf and add the cheddar. Stir until the cheese has melted. Season with lots of black pepper and some nutmeg. Put the pan back over the heat, stirring constantly, until it boils and thickens. Take the pan off the heat again, remove the bay leaf and add the cheddar. Stir until the cheese has melted. Season with lots of black pepper and some nutmeg. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and stir in the macaroni. Cook for 10 minutes, or until al dente, drain well and add to the sauce. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and stir in the macaroni. Cook for 10 minutes, or until al dente, drain well and add to the sauce. Fry the bacon in a frying pan until crisp. Stir into the macaroni cheese and pour the mixture into the ovenproof dish. Fry the bacon in a frying pan until crisp. Stir into the macaroni cheese and pour the mixture into the ovenproof dish. Mix the breadcrumbs with the Parmesan and scatter over the top. Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until golden-brown and bubbling. Serve immediately. Mix the breadcrumbs with the Parmesan and scatter over the top. Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until golden-brown and bubbling. Serve immediately.