Grown Up Baked Mac & Cheese

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups of milk (I use skim)
1 bay leaf
3 blades of mace or pinch of ground nutmeg
4 Tbs flour
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 cups of grated Parmesean or Cheddar Cheese (or a mixture of both)
1/3 cup breadcrumbs
1 lb macaroni or other shot hollow pasta

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Make a bechamel sauce by gently heating the milk with the bay leaf and mace in a small saucepan. Do not let it boil. Melt the butter in a medium heavy saucepan. Add the flour, and mix it in well with a wire wisk. Cook for 2-3 minutes, but don't let the butter burn. Strain the hot milk into the flour/butter mixture all at once and mix smoothly with the wisk. Bring sauce to a boil, stirring constantly and cook for 4-5 minutes more.

2.Season with salt & pepper, and nutmeg if no mace has been used. Add all but 2 tbsp of the cheese, and stir over a low heat until it melts. Place a layer of plastic wrap right on the surface of the sauce to avoid a skin from forming & set aside.

3. Bring a large pot of water to aboil & Preheat the oven to 400*. Grease an ovenproofdish, and sprinkle with some breadcrumbs. Add salt and the pasta to the boiling water and cook until barely al dente. Do not overcook, as pasta will get a second cooking in the oven.

4. Drain and shock the pasta, and combine it with the sauce. Pour in into the prepared ovenproof dish. Sprinkle the top with remaining breadcrumbs and grated cheese, and place in center of preheated oven. Bake for 20 minutes.