Ingredients

• 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

Directions

• 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.