Cauliflower Bacon Mac ’n’ Cheese
with Cavatappi and Scallions
Bacon. Mac ‘n’ cheese. Need we say more? Okay, how about gooey, melty, bouncy, smoky, savory, and cascading with curls of cavatappi? Not convinced? Well, there’s a good amount of calcium-rich cauliflower in there too—roasted, not boiled, to bring out its natural sweetness and give it a crisp-edged tenderness that is sure to please.
The quantities provided above are averages only.
Boxes and ingredients are packed in facilities that handles Peanut, Nuts, Sesame, Fish, Crustaceans, Milk, Egg, Mustard, Celery, Soya, Gluten and Sulphites. Due to the war in Ukraine, it has been necessary to substitute sunflower oil with rapeseed oil in some products without a label change. The FSA have advised that allergic reactions to rapeseed oil are rare.
Ingredients
2
Scallions
10
Cauliflower Florets
6
Cavatappi Pasta
(Contains Cereals containing gluten)
4
Bacon
1
Flour
(Contains Cereals containing gluten)
6.75
2% Reduced Fat Milk
(Contains Milk)
1
Chicken Stock Concentrate
½
Italian Cheese Blend
(Contains Milk)
1
Butter
(Contains Milk)
Not included in your delivery
2
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
Nutritional information
Utensils
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Wash and dry all produce. Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens. Toss cauliflower on a baking sheet with a large drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Roast until tender, 20-25 minutes.
Once water is boiling, add cavatappi to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 9-11 minutes. Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water (1½ cups for 4 servings), then drain.
Meanwhile, heat a large, dry pan over medium-high heat. Add bacon and cook, turning occasionally, until just crispy, 6-10 minutes. Turn off heat. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Discard all but 1 tsp bacon fat (2 tsp for 4 servings) from pan.
Melt 1 TBSP butter (2 TBSP for 4 servings) in same pan over medium heat. Add scallion whites; cook until softened, 1 minute. Add flour and stir constantly until lightly browned, 1-2 minutes. Slowly whisk in milk, ¼ cup reserved pasta cooking water (½ cup for 4), and stock concentrate. Increase heat to high and boil until slightly thickened, 1-2 minutes. Turn off heat; whisk in Italian cheese. Season with salt (we used ½ tsp; 1 tsp for 4) and pepper.
Chop bacon into small pieces. Stir bacon, cavatappi, and cauliflower into pan with sauce. TIP: If needed, stir in more reserved cooking water 1 TBSP at a time until pasta is coated in a creamy sauce.
Divide mac ’n’ cheese between plates. Garnish with scallion greens and serve.
