Tuesday, March 30, 2010

CAULIFLOWER MAC & CHEESE

Who doesn't LOVE mac & cheese. This is so tasty with the wonderful flavors of fontina and gruyere cheeses. If you have different favorite cheeses try them. I feel better making it with cauliflower and pasta..... seems healthier...right!!!!!

Ingredients (can serve about 10 people)

1-1/2 lbs of cauliflower cut in about 1/2 inch pieces
2 cups shredded fontina cheese
2 cups shredded gruyere cheese
1 box penne pasta cooked til just about done
8 oz pancetta, cut in small cubes
1/2 cup heavy cream
3-1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup flour
2 tbl white wine
1 stick unsalted butter
1-1/2 cups italian breadcrumbs
1-1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
pinch of cayenne pepper
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Combine breadcrumbs, 2 tbl melted butter, parsley, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper set aside. In a large ovenproof pot cook pancetta over medium heat. Remove it and let it drain on paper towel. In the same pan add cauliflower and cook in pancetta fat for about 10 minutes. Add tbls of butter as needed, up to about 3 tbl to cook the cauliflower. Transfer cooked cauliflower to a bowl and pour the pancetta fat and butter on top. Put a couple tbl of water in the pan and get all the good bits off the bottom and pour this over the cauliflower.

In the same pan melt 3 tbl butter and add flour to make a paste. Make sure all the flour is combined so there are no lumps. Add the wine and milk and cook about 10 minutes until it starts to thicken. Add cheeses...yyyyuuuuummmmmmm..., cayenne, nutmeg, cream, pasta salt and pepper to taste. Add pancetta and cauliflower back to pot and mix. Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture on top and cook in the oven for 30 minutes. Then turn the oven to broil and broil a few minutes until the breadcrumbs become golden brown...

My mouth is watering..this is so creamy and delicious.
ENJOY!

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