• 280 grams pasta macaroni or any shape you like
• 1 tbsp butter.

 

For the topping:

• 1.5 cups panko breadcrumbs.
• 60 grams butter melted.
• 20 grams about ½ cup very finely grated parmesan.
• Zest of a lemon.
• 1 heaped tablespoon rosemary roughly chopped.

 

For the sauce:

• 70 grams butter.
• 50 grams flour.
• 300 grams cheese I used 175 grams aged gouda and 125 grams cheddar.
• 3 cups milk.
• 1.5 teaspoons black pepper.
• 2 tablespoons rosemary leaves roughly chopped.
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice.
• Salt to taste.

• Preheat your oven to 350f (180c).
• Make the topping first. Mix all topping ingredients together, add a good pinch of salt and set aside.
• Cook the pasta, undercooking by 1 minute from package instructions. Drain and toss with 1 tablespoon of butter (helps it stop cooking and sticking).
• Make the sauce. In a large saucepan heat the butter over a medium heat and when sizzling, add the flour.
• Whisk vigorously for a minute.
• Lower the heat slightly and add the milk in a slow stream, whisking the whole time making sure you get all the flour mixture from the bottom and sides of the pan.

• Cook for a few minutes until it thickens slightly and coats the back of a wooden spoon.
• When ready it should almost be at a slight simmer but not quite.
• Lower the heat right down and add the cheese in three lots, whisking well and letting it melt in between each addition.
• If there are still some small chunks not melted in, it's fine!
• Add the rosemary, black pepper and lemon juice and mix in.
• Add the pasta, mix and season to taste with salt.
• Pour into your baking dish (I used a 30cm x 21cm rectangular dish) and top with the panko crumb mixture.
• Bake in the oven for 20 - 25 minutes until nice and golden. You don't want to bake it any longer than that as you don't want to overcook the pasta and dry out the sauce.
• Leave it to sit for 5 - 10 mins before serving.