- 1 litre/1 pint 15fl oz whole milk
- 2 bay leaves
- 40g/1½oz unsalted butter
- 50g/2oz plain flour
- 250g/10½oz mature cheddar or gruyere, grated
- 1 tsp English mustard
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ½ onion, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 250g/10½oz minced rump steak
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 4 shallots, sliced
- 400g/14oz macaroni, cooked according to packet instructions
- 20 cherry tomatoes, halved
- 12 sun-blushed tomatoes
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 2-3 tbsp milk, if needed
- 2 tbsp grated parmesan
- Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
- For the cheese sauce, place the milk and bay leaves into a pan and place over a medium heat. Heat the milk to scalding point (do not boil) and then remove from heat. Leave to infuse.
- In a clean saucepan, melt the butter over a medium heat, then stir in the flour and cook for three minutes. Be careful not to let the mixture turn brown.
- Remove the bay leaves from the milk mixture and add a little milk to the flour and butter mixture. Stir to combine the milk and flour paste over a low heat, then repeat the process, gradually adding milk and stirring in, until a smooth paste is formed.
- Add the rest of the milk and bring to boil, stirring all the time, then reduce the heat and simmer for three minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat and add the cheese, mustard and season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- For the meatballs, heat one tablespoon of the oil in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and oregano and fry until softened, then remove from heat and allow to cool.
- Place the onion mixture into a bowl and add the minced meat. Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and mix together to combine.
- Roll the mince mixture into small 2.5cm/1in meatballs.
- Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a clean frying pan over a medium heat. Add the meatballs and fry, turning occasionally, until brown all over and completely cooked through.
- For the pasta, heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add the shallots and fry for two minutes to soften, then add the cooked pasta and stir well.
- Add the tomatoes and oregano and cook for 2-3 minutes, then add the meatballs and the cheese sauce. (You may need to add a little milk to loosen the cheese sauce.) The sauce should coat, not swamp, the macaroni.
- Transfer the macaroni and meatballs to either a large ovenproof dish or into 10cm/4in ramekins. Top with parmesan and place into the oven to bake for 15 minutes if using a large dish, 7-8 minutes if using the ramekins.
- Preheat the grill to its highest setting and place the dish or ramekins under the grill to melt and brown the cheese before serving.