Penne Cauliflower Bacon Creamy Tomato Food

BAKED PENNE WITH SAUSAGE, TOMATO AND CAULIFLOWER

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Heat the stock with the saffron in a small saucepan over medium heat.
• Meanwhile, bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil in a pot and season with salt. Add the cauliflower, cover and steam until tender, about 12 minutes. Drain and break into florets.
• Heat the EVOO in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and crumble it into very small pieces with a potato masher or wooden spoon. Add the garlic and onions and cook for 5 minutes. Deglaze with the wine, stirring and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Add the bay leaf, cinnamon stick, tomatoes and saffron stock and stir to break up the tomatoes. Simmer until thickened, about 30 minutes. Discard the bay leaf and cinnamon stick and season with salt and pepper.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook to just shy of al dente, about 7 minutes. Reserve a ladle of the starchy cooking liquid and drain the pasta.
• Return the pasta to the pot. Add the heavy cream, cauliflower, sausage sauce and
• a little of the reserved cooking liquid and stir to combine. Transfer the mixture to a casserole dish and top with the cheeses and parsley. Bake until the top is browned, 35 to 40 minutes. Divide among plates.
• Cook's Note: The unbaked casserole can be covered and refrigerated for a make-ahead meal. Bake as directed before serving.

PASTA WITH CAULIFLOWER, BACON AND SAGE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the cauliflower on a sheet pan. Drizzle with 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil, sprinkle with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and toss to coat. Roast, tossing occasionally, until tender and browned all over, 20 to 25 minutes. While the cauliflower roasts, bring a large pot of water to a boil.
• Heat a large (12-inch) skillet over medium-high. Add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Add the sage leaves to pan and fry until they begin to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sage leaves to the plate with the bacon. Drain all but 3 tablespoons of fat from the skillet (or add additional olive oil, if needed) and remove from heat.
• Add 1 tablespoon salt to the boiling water and cook the pasta until just al dente, reserving 1 1/2 cups of the pasta water. Drain the pasta and add to the reserved skillet; heat over low. Pour or squeeze the lemon juice over the pasta, along with 1 cup pasta water and the 1/2 cup grated Parmesan. Toss until the sauce comes together.
• Stir in the cauliflower, bacon and sage, adding a splash more pasta water if the pasta seems dry. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with lemon zest, and serve with extra Parmesan on the side.

CAULIFLOWER & BACON PASTA

Steps:

• Heat the grill to high and bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Grill the bacon slices for 5 mins or until crispy, then drain on kitchen paper and cut into small pieces.
• Cook the pasta following pack instructions. Add the cauliflower to the pasta pan for the final 8 mins, so that it is just tender, then drain, reserving 2 tbsp of the cooking water.
• Melt the butter in a small pan over a low heat, then stir in the flour and cook for a couple of mins. Gradually stir in the milk, mixing well between each addition. Bring to a simmer, then cook for a few mins until thickened. Season, add the mustard and half the grated cheese. Stir until the cheese has melted and the sauce is smooth.
• Tip the pasta and cauliflower back into the pan along with the reserved cooking water. Stir through the cheese sauce and bacon, then transfer the mix to a baking dish. Mix together the breadcrumbs and remaining cheese, then sprinkle over the pasta. Cook for 5 mins under the grill until browned. Serve with a salad, if you like.

BACON, CREAMED TOMATO AND PEA PENNE

Steps:

• Add a splash of water to the skillet and fry bacon for 2-3 minutes until lightly browned (no oil is needed as bacon provides plenty of fat). Add the onion and stir for another minute or two until softened.
• Meanwhile, cook the penne according to package instructions, in a pot of salted water.
• Pour the wine into the bacon mixture and allow to bubble down, then stir in the passata and oregano. Bring to a simmer, then stir in creme fraiche. Season to taste. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes until slightly reduced and thickened. Stir in the peas and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
• When the pasta is cooked, drain and rinse in hot water, shaking the pasta to get water out of the tubes. Fold in the bacon and pea mixture, and season to taste.

ROASTED CAULIFLOWER PENNE WITH CREAM SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Toss cauliflower with olive oil. Transfer to a baking sheet.
• Roast in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Sprinkle garlic over cauliflower and toss to combine. Continue to cook until cauliflower is tender and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes longer. Remove from the oven.
• While the cauliflower is roasting, melt butter in a skillet over medium-low heat, and bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.
• Add flour to the melted butter and stir until smooth. Increase heat to medium and cook, stirring often, until mixture turns a light, golden color, about 5 minutes.
• At the same time, cook penne in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 11 minutes. Drain and reserve about 1/4 cup pasta water.
• Add hot milk, 1 cup at a time, to the butter mixture, whisking continuously until very smooth. Bring to a boil. Cook, stirring constantly, for 10 minutes. Stir in Romano cheese and remove from the heat. Season with nutmeg and salt and set aside until ready to use.
• Combine penne, roasted cauliflower, bechamel sauce, and tomatoes in a large bowl. If the sauce is too thick, stir in a little of the reserved pasta water. Serve immediately with black pepper.