- 150g Macaroni or tubular pasta shapes
- 500g Cauliflower, broken into florets
- 500ml Milk
- 40g Butter
- 50g Plain flour
- 150g Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated
- 2 tsp. Wholegrain mustard
- 3 tbsp. Dried breadcrumbs (e.g. Panko)
- A few cherry tomatoes, halved
- 8 Slices pancetta
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Flat leaf parsley, to garnish
Parmigiano Reggiano and Cauliflower Mac & Cheese
Parmigiano Reggiano and Cauliflower Mac & Cheese
45 min
Ingredients
Method
Put the pasta into a large saucepan with the cauliflower and cook in gently boiling salted water for 10-12 minutes, until the pasta is tender.
Meanwhile, put the milk, butter and flour into a large saucepan (preferably non-stick) and bring to the boil, stirring constantly with a whisk to give a smooth sauce.
Remove from the heat and stir in about three-quarters of the Parmigiano Reggiano and mustard. Avoid doing this over the heat, as it could make the sauce stringy. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Preheat the grill and warm a large heatproof serving dish underneath it for a couple of minutes.
Drain the pasta and cauliflower very thoroughly, then tip it into the warm serving dish. Pour the sauce over the top, mixing it in gently. Scatter the breadcrumbs and reserved cheese over the top.
Dot the halved cherry tomatoes over the surface and arrange the pancetta slices on top.
Grill for 6-8 minutes until the pancetta is crispy and the surface is golden brown and bubbling. Serve, garnished with chopped flat leaf parsley.
In these challenging times…
The Staff Canteen team are taking a different approach to keeping our website independent and delivering content free from commercial influence. Our Editorial team have a critical role to play in informing and supporting our audience in a balanced way. We would never put up a paywall – The Staff Canteen is open to all and we want to keep bringing you the content you want; more from younger chefs, more on mental health, more tips and industry knowledge, more recipes and more videos. We need your support right now, more than ever, to keep The Staff Canteen active. Without your financial contributions this would not be possible.
Over the last 16 years, The Staff Canteen has built what has become the go-to platform for chefs and hospitality professionals. As members and visitors, your daily support has made The Staff Canteen what it is today. Our features and videos from the world’s biggest name chefs are something we are proud of. We have over 560,000 followers across Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube and other social channels, each connecting with chefs across the world. Our editorial and social media team are creating and delivering engaging content every day, to support you and the whole sector - we want to do more for you.
A single coffee is more than £2, a beer is £4.50 and a large glass of wine can be £6 or more.
Support The Staff Canteen from as little as £1 today. Thank you.
