Mac and cheese with meatballs

Ingredients:

• 340 g of cavatappi or other spiral pasta
• 1 cup crushed cheese crackers
• 2 and 1/4 cups whole milk
• 280 g raw sweet Italian sausage without casing
• 3 tbsp. l. grated parmesan
• 2 tbsp. premium flour
• 220 g of grated sharp cheddar
• 60 g processed cheese, cut into 1 cm cubes.
• 0.5 tsp Dijon mustard

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 220°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Set aside 0.5 cups of the water and discard the rest. Set the pot aside.
3. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine 1/2 cup crushed cheese crackers with 1/4 cup milk; let sit until slightly softened, about 10 minutes. Add the sausage and 2 tablespoons Parmesan and mix well. Form the meatballs into 1-inch diameter meatballs (about 28); place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes.
4. Add the flour and remaining 2 cups milk to the reserved pasta pot and stir. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring, until the milk thickens slightly, 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat, add the cheddar and cream cheese, and stir until smooth. Add 3/4 teaspoon of salt and the mustard.
5. Add the pasta and 1/4 cup of the cooking water to the cheese sauce and stir to coat. Add the meatballs and stir to coat; if the sauce is too thick, add up to 1/4 cup of the cooking water, 1 tablespoon at a time.
6. In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1/2 cup crushed cheese crackers with 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese. Divide the macaroni and cheese among bowls and sprinkle with the cracker mixture.