The kind that brings back childhood memories.

I wanted to skip baking and make the creamiest, dreamiest stove-top mac & cheese. At its best it’s creamy and smooth, simple and straightforward, and makes you question whether you need a fork or spoon. Serve your macaroni cheese in the centre of the table, with your bowl of crispy breadcrumbs for sprinkling over, and a lovely green salad.An ideal mac & cheese shouldn’t be complicated.Remove from the heat and tip into a nice bowl. Stir and toss the crumbs around until crunchy and golden all over. While it’s cooking, put your breadcrumbs and the rest of the the thyme leaves into a pan with a few drizzles of olive oil over a medium heat.Bake it for 30 minutes in the oven, until golden, bubbling, crispy and delicious. If you’ve made your sauce in an ovenproof casserole-type pan, leave everything in there if not, transfer it to a deep earthenware dish.You want it to be slightly too wet because it will thicken up again in the oven, so add a splash of water if needed. Now work on the flavour – taste it and season it until it’s hitting the right spot. A little Worcestershire sauce added now is nice, and so is a little grating or two of nutmeg. Stir in your grated cheeses, chopped tomatoes and pick in half of the thyme leaves. Give it a good stir and take the pan off the heat. Drain the pasta and add it immediately to the sauce.Meanwhile, roughly chop the tomatoes on a board and season them well with sea salt and black pepper. Add the pasta to the pan of boiling salted water and cook according to the packet instructions.Bring the mixture to the boil, then leave it on a low heat to simmer and tick away, stirring occasionally. Add the bay leaves and slowly whisk in the milk a little at a time to ensure you get a nice smooth sauce.Keep cooking and stirring until golden and the garlic is nice and sticky. Add all the sliced garlic – don’t worry about the amount because each slice will caramelise like toffee in the roux.Melt the butter in a large ovenproof saucepan over a low heat, then add the flour and turn the heat up to medium, stirring all the time, until you get a paste – this is your roux. Get a large pan of salted water on the boil.

Best baked mac and cheese recipe ever