Ingredients

250g

dried macaroni, or elbow macaroni

rashers of bacon, any kind

a little

vegetable oil

50g

butter

40g

flour

700ml

milk

200g

Cheddar cheese, grated

100g (5 slices)

Dairylea cheese slices (see above)

50g (6 tbsp)

grated Parmesan

2 tsp

dried Fines Herbes

1/2

lemon, grated zest

1/2 tsp

dry mustard powder

1/2 tsp

onion powder or granules

a pinch

chilli flakes or ground cayenne pepper

300-350g

shelled, cooked king prawns

For the topping

280g

jar of chargrilled red peppers, drained and sliced

50g

panko or fresh breadcrumbs

2 tbsp

grated Parmesan cheese

"A luxurious pasta dish incorporating juicy morsels of lobster or prawns and chunks of bacon, enlivened with the classic French fines herbes.

You can add another cheese instead of the processed cheese, if you prefer, but Dairylea Cheese Slices contain sodium citrate, which will give the dish its characteristic gloss and creaminess."

A delicious dish taken with kind permission from Orlando Murrin's new crime novel Murder Below Deck, published by Transworld Books.

Photo credit: Angela Nilsen

Serves 6

Method

Cook the pasta in a medium pan of boiling salted water according to packet directions (typically 8-10 minutes). Drain and sloosh under running water, then shake or stir it occasionally as it dries, so it doesn’t stick together.
In the same pan (no need to wash) fry the bacon in a little oil (halve the slices if they don’t fit, and fry in two batches if necessary) till brown and crisp, then remove to a plate or board lined with kitchen paper and snip the bacon into strips.
In the same pan (no need to wash) add butter, flour and milk and bring to the boil, whisking constantly with a wire whisk until thickened and smooth. Simmer for 3-4 minutes, stirring often, till smooth. You will seem to have a lot of sauce, but this is correct. Stir in remaining ingredients, except prawns, and taste for seasoning, then stir in the bacon and pasta.
Spoon half into a 30x20cm baking dish about 6cm deep (or equivalent, about 2.25l capacity), add the prawns in a layer, then the remaining pasta mixture. Top with the sliced peppers, arranged in diagonal lines. Mix the breadcrumbs and remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan and sprinkle this on top. Put in the oven at 180C/160C fan for 20-30 minutes, till piping hot and bubbling round the edges; there’s no need to preheat oven but it will save you five minutes if you do. If you wish, toast under the grill for an additional 3-4 minutes, to brown the top. Allow to cool for five minutes before serving.