Instructions

1. Pour the milk into a saucepan, then add the onion, garlic cloves, bay leaf and star anise
2. Bring almost to the boil, then remove from the heat, cover and set aside to infuse for 30 minutes
3. Strain into a jug and discard the flavourings
4. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/Gas 6
5. Melt the butter in a separate saucepan over a low heat, then stir in the flour to make a roux and cook, stirring, for 1 minute
6. Gradually whisk in the warm infused milk, until the mixture is smooth
7. Slowly bring to the boil over a low heat, whisking continuously, until the sauce thickens
8. Simmer gently for 5 minutes, stirring often
9. Add the Comté and Cheddar cheeses and whisk in until smooth
10. Season to taste with salt and pepper
11. While the sauce is cooking, cook the macaroni in a large pan of salted boiling water until al dente, about 9 minutes or according to the packet instructions
12. Drain, refresh briefly under cold running water and drain again
13. Meanwhile, make the breadcrumb topping
14. Melt the butter in a frying pan, add the garlic and sauté for a minute without colouring
15. Stir in the breadcrumbs and cook over a low heat for about 8 minutes, until the breadcrumbs are pale golden and lightly toasted, stirring regularly to make sure the mixture doesn’t burn
16. Stir in the parsley
17. Tip the macaroni into the cheese sauce and mix well to coat
18. Pour the mixture into a large, wide gratin dish
19. Scatter the mozzarella on top, then sprinkle over the Parmesan. Sprinkle the toasted breadcrumbs over the top
20. Bake for about 15–20 minutes, until the topping is golden and crisp
21. Shave the black truffle on top and serve