| 1/2 lb. elbow macaroni |
| 3 T. butter |
| 3 T. flour |
| 1 T. powdered mustard |
| 3 c. milk |
| 1/2 c. yellow onion, finely diced |
| 1 bay leaf |
| 1/2 t. paprika |
| 1 large egg |
| 12 oz. sharp cheddar, shredded |
| 1 t. kosher salt |
| fresh black pepper |
| 3 T. butter |
| 1 c. panko bread crumbs |
Preheat oven to 350°. Cook the pasta to al dente.
While the pasta is cooking, in a separate pot, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and mustard and keep it moving for about 5 minutes. Make sure it's free of lumps. Stir in the milk, onion, bay leaf, and paprika. Simmer for 10 minutes and remove the bay leaf.
Temper in the egg. Stir in 3/4 of the cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Fold the macaroni into the mix and pour into a 2 qt. casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese.
Melt the butter in a sauté pan and toss the bread crumbs to coat. Top the macaroni with the bread crumbs and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and rest for 5 minutes before serving.