Cauliflower And Parmesan Pasta Bake Recipes

CAULIFLOWER-AND-PARMESAN PASTA BAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F.
• Cook pasta as directed on package, omitting salt.
• Meanwhile, cook and stir bacon in large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from skillet with slotted spoon; drain on paper towels. Discard all but 2 Tbsp. drippings from skillet. Reserve 1 Tbsp. drippings for later use; return remaining reserved drippings to skillet.
• Add cauliflower to skillet; cook, stirring frequently, 4 to 5 min. or until crisp-tender. Add garlic, flour and pepper; cool and stir 1 min. Stir in milk; cook, stirring frequently, 8 to 10 min. or until thickened. Add 1 cup cheese; cook and stir 1 to 2 min. or until melted. Remove from heat.
• Drain pasta. Add to cauliflower mixture along with the bacon; mix lightly. Spoon into 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray.
• Combine bread crumbs with reserved bacon drippings and remaining cheese; spoon over pasta mixture.
• Bake 10 min. or until cauliflower mixture is heated through and bread crumb topping is golden brown.

PASTA WITH ROASTED CAULIFLOWER AND PARMESAN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Toss cauliflower with garlic cloves, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Spread out in an even layer on a baking sheet.
• Roast in the preheated oven, tossing at least twice, until cauliflower is tender, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add penne and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 11 minutes.
• Mix Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, and cayenne pepper together in a bowl; set aside.
• Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water. Transfer pasta to a serving bowl and add cauliflower and butter. Stir in cooking water, a little at a time, until desired creaminess is reached. Add lemon juice and bread crumb mixture, toss, and serve.

PARMESAN-ROASTED CAULIFLOWER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
• Arrange cauliflower on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt, mixed herbs, and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil; toss until well coated. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top.
• Roast in the preheated oven until crisp, 10 to 15 minutes.

PASTA WITH CAULIFLOWER-PARMESAN BUTTER

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package directions for al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta and set aside. Reserve the pot.
• Meanwhile, pulse the cauliflower, Parmesan, garlic, shallot, 1 tablespoon salt and a few grinds of pepper in a food processor, stopping and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until finely chopped. Add the butter and continue to process, stopping and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until well combined.
• Melt 4 tablespoons of the cauliflower-Parmesan butter in the reserved pasta pot over medium heat. Add the pasta and stir until combined, thinning it out with the reserved pasta water 1 tablespoon at a time if needed. Divide among plates and season with salt and pepper, if desired.
• Tightly wrap the remaining cauliflower-Parmesan butter in plastic wrap or transfer to an airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months.

CAULIFLOWER CHEESE PASTA BAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 220C/200 fan/gas 9. Toss the cauliflower florets, leaves and sliced core with 1 tbsp olive oil in a roasting tin and season. Roast in the oven for 30-40 mins, or until the cauliflower is turning golden and smelling nutty. While it's roasting, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a non-stick frying pan and add the shallots, sugar and thyme. Cook for 10-15 mins until soft, sweet and caramelised. Add the wine and cook for a few more mins until evaporated. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in salty boiling water until just cooked. Drain and set aside.
• For the cheese sauce, melt the butter in a non-stick saucepan over a medium heat with the bay leaf. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 2 mins or so, until the roux is starting to bubble. Pour in the milk, little by little, stirring with a whisk, until fully incorporated and you have a smooth, lump-free sauce. Cook for about 10 mins until thickened, and then season with nutmeg and black pepper. Next, add the cheese and stir over the heat until it's melted and smooth. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning, adding the vinegar or lemon juice to taste.
• Tip the pasta and shallots into the cauliflower roasting dish, then pour over the cheese sauce and stir so everything is well coated. Sprinkle over the remaining parmesan, reduce the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and bake for 20 mins, or until golden. Remove from the oven and allow to settle for about 10 mins, then serve with a crisp chicory salad.