Macaroni and Cheese

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Cook the milk with the bay leaves in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. When small bubbles appear along the sides, about 5 minutes later, turn off the heat and let stand. Salt the boiling water and cook the pasta to the point where it still needs another minute or two to become tender. Drain it and place in a large bowl.

In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter; when its foamy, add the flour and cook, stirring until the mixture browns. Remove the bay leaves from the milk and add about ¼ cup of milk to the hot flour mixture while stirring with a wire whisk. As soon as the mixture becomes smooth, add a little more milk, and continue to do so until all the milk is used up and the mixture is thick and smooth. Add the cheddar cheese and stir.

Pour the sauce over the noodles, toss in the Parmesan , and season with salt and pepper. Grease a 9 X 13-inch pan and pour the noodle mixture into it. Top generously bread crumbs and bake for 15 minutes. Serve hot.