Mac and cheese for company

Ingredients:

• 450 g of pasta horns
• 7 tbsp unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing the pan
• 1/3 cup premium flour
• 4 cups whole milk
• 1.5 tsp mustard powder
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 2 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese (about 220 g)
• 2 cups grated Gouda (about 220 g)
• 1.5 cups grated mild cheddar (about 170 g)
• 1/2 cup crushed butter crackers (such as Ritz)
• 0.5 cup crushed potato chips

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Grease a 22x32 cm baking pan with butter.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions for al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water.
3. Meanwhile, melt 6 tablespoons of butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring, until smooth and light golden, about 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the milk until smooth, then add the mustard powder, cayenne pepper, nutmeg, and 1 teaspoon of salt.
4. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce comes to a boil and thickens slightly, 7-8 minutes. Stir the cheeses into the sauce one at a time, allowing each cheese to melt before adding the next.
5. Stir in the cooked pasta to coat, adding more of the cooking water if necessary if the sauce is too thick. It's okay if the sauce is thin—it will thicken as it bakes.
6. Transfer the macaroni and cheese to a baking dish. Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, then mix in the crushed crackers and chips. Sprinkle the mixture over half of the mac and cheese.
7. Bake until top is golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.