Cauliflower cheese
I've been making versions of cheesy pasta for longer than I care to remember! This recipe was my attempt to make it vaguely more healthy by including broccoli and asparagus.
Fine green beans, peas and sweetcorn also work well, so just adapt the recipe to suit. I've also used Tenderstem broccoli but again, broccoli florets work just as well.
If you like a cheesy pasta bake, then also worth having a look at my Butternut squash, bacon and sage version - equally delicious!
Serves 3-4 as a main
1 large cauliflower
50g butter
5 tablespoons of plain flour
400ml milk
250g mature cheddar
1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard
Pinch of nutmeg
Black pepper
Cook the vegetables
- Remove the outer leaves from the cauliflower.
Make the cheese sauce
- Grate the cheese.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over a gentle heat.
- Stir in the flour and cook for a couple of minutes.
- Now slowly add the milk, stirring all of the time.
- Once all of the milk has been added, use a whisk to ensure the sauce is lovely and smooth.
- Stir in the Dijon mustard and grate in a little nutmeg.
- Add the cheese and stir until it's melted into the sauce.
- Season with black pepper.
- Increase the heat slightly and stir for a few minutes until thickened. Set aside.
Assemble and bake
- Gently mix the asparagus and broccoli through the pasta.
- Pour over the cheese sauce and mix gentlyto combine.
- Place in the hot oven and cook for 25 minutes until the top of the pasta bake is nice and golden.
