Michael and Rachel's

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Cauliflower Macaroni

Updated: 04 Sep 2016

Ingredients

  • 6 rashers pancetta
  • 1 head cauliflower
  • 200g macaroni
  • 3 thick slices of bread (Tesco cheese bread was nice!)
  • Good amount extra strong cheddar cheese, approx. 125g
  • Few sprigs rosemary
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 125g creme fraiche
  • Parmesan Cheese
  • Parsley, salt, pepper, nutmeg (pinch)

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 200c. Place the pancetta in the base of a roasting tin and place in the oven. Cook until golden and crispy.
  2. Prepare the cauliflower: remove leaves, roughly chop, and rinse. Place in a pan of boiling salted water with the macaroni and set the timer for 10 minutes.
  3. Grate the cheddar cheese using the food processor and set to one side.
  4. Make the breadcrumbs. Combine the pancetta, bread, rosemary, and a drizzle of olive oil and blitz until you have coarse breadcrumbs.
  5. Remove 200ml of pasta cooking water plus a little extra in reserve. Drain the pasta and cauliflower.
  6. Break up the cauliflower a little with a wooden spoon. Add the reserved pasta water, the garlic, creme fraiche, grated cheddar, salt, pepper, nutmeg and parsley. Stir well then tip into the roasting tray you cooked the pancetta in.
  7. Level with a spoon then add the bacon breadcrumbs - place in the hot oven for about 10 minutes and serve when golden and bubbling.

Made 4 dinner portions.