Macaroni and Cheese

I made my first meal from "What to Cook and How to Cook it" by: Jane Hornby. Great book, you should buy it.

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4

1 onion
1 bay leaf
3 cups milk
1 tsp kosher salt
12 oz macaroni, or other tube-shaped pasta
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) butter
scant 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
7 oz sharp cheddar cheese
2 oz parmesan cheese
2 tsp Dijon mustard   [I didn't use]
nutmeg, for grating (optional)   [I didn't use]
4 small ripe tomatoes
salt and pepper

1. Bring a large pan of water to a boil for the pasta. While it's heating, start the sauce. Cut the onion into a few rough chunks, then put into a pan with the bay leaf and the milk. Bring the milk to a boil over medium heat. As soon as small bubbles start to pop at the sides of the pan, take it off the heat. Let infuse for 10 minutes (or longer, if there's more time). This will give the cheese sauce a good depth of flavor.

2. Add the salt to the pasta water, then add the macaroni. Return to a boil, stir once, then cook for 8 minutes. Reserve a cupful of the cooking water, then drain the macaroni in a colander. It will be a little undercooked.

3. Once the milk has infused, removed the onion and bay lead with a slotted spoon. Add the butter and sift in the flour.

4. Cook on medium-high heat, stirring with a whisk for about 5 minutes, until the sauce comes to a boil and is thickened and smooth. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350.

5. Stir the mustard, 1/4 teaspoon finely grated nutmeg (if using), and two-thirds of the Cheddar and Parmesan into the sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. If the pasta has stuck together a little, pour the reserved cup of pasta water into the colander, then stir to loosen. Pour the pasta into a baking dish. Pour the sauce over the pasta, stir well.

6. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top of the macaroni, then slice the tomatoes and place them on top. Season with salt and pepper.

7. Back for 30 minutes, or until golden and bubbling. Serve immediately.

*Things I learned:

-Really cut the onion into big chunks, 

because you have to get it out later... and small chunks are the worst.

-Just pour the pasta into the sauce you're working with in the pan... 

it is somewhat hard to stir in a dish and 

get everything mixed if you just pour it over the pasta.

-4 tomatoes is a lot. I used 1.5.