Cauliflower & bacon pasta
Serves 4 Prep 15 mins Cook 35 mins
200g streaky bacon 300g dried pasta 1 cauliflower, cut into large florets 25g butter 25g plain flour 300ml milk 1 tsp Dijon mustard 140g cheddar, grated 1 soft wholemeal roll, whizzed
to breadcrumbs salad, to serve (optional)
1 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.
2 Cook the pasta following pack instructions. Add the cauliflower to the pasta pan for the final 8 mins, so it’s just tender, then drain, reserving 2 tbsp of the cooking water.
3 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. Bring to a simmer, then cook for a few mins until thickened. Season, add the mustard and half the cheese. Stir until the cheese has melted and the sauce is smooth.
4 Tip the pasta and cauliflower back into the pan along with the reserved cooking water. Stir through the cheese sauce and bacon, then transfer to a baking dish. Mix the breadcrumbs and remaining cheese, sprinkle over the pasta. Grill for 5 mins until browned. Serve with a salad, if you like. PER SERVING 673 kcals, fat 34g, saturates 16g, carbs 56g, sugars 9g, fibre 3g, protein 35g, salt 2.8g