Monday, December 8, 2008

Baked Pasta with Cauliflower

Back in October, Bon Appetit presented several hearty and comforting fall meals, and this was one of them. As I re-read the recipe, I realized I was a little short on time to follow the precise instructions. With just a couple of changes, I ended up with a very similar dish and a rich and filling dinner. My cauliflower came from Hands of the Earth farm, and I grabbed the pipe rigate whole wheat pasta at Central Market instead of penne. Other than using whole wheat pasta, my recipe modifications in no way improved the nutritional profile of this dish. The cream, butter, and cheeses were all used in their specified quantities.

So, to speed up the process, I did not boil the cauliflower nor did I peel the tomatoes. Instead, I sautéed the cauliflower chunks over medium heat for seven minutes or so and then added the diced tomatoes with skins and green onions. The vegetables were transferred to a large mixing bowl. I moved on to the sauce while the pasta boiled. I prepared the sauce as suggested and added it to the mixing bowl with the partially cooked pasta. All was mixed and layered into the baking dish with more cheese. I skipped the breadcrumbs all together because I never apply breadcrumbs to mac and cheese, maybe some day, and it saved another few minutes. Instead, the remaining cheeses were the lone topping. The dish went into a 375 degree oven, rather than 350, and baked for 25 minutes rather than 35. To brown the top a little more, I turned on the broiler for a couple of minutes. It didn’t exactly become a five minute meal, but I saved 25 minutes or so overall. These days, I’ll take an extra 25 minutes when I can get it.

As promised by the article, it was hearty and comforting. The flavor of the cheeses was fantastic, and the cauliflower was perfectly tender. I’m glad I skipped the boiling, or the cauliflower might have been too soft. Kurt would like to try the dish again with the dijon omitted, and I can understand his point. The mustard added a slightly sharp note to an otherwise very mild combination of tastes. The green onions, I think, could handle the job of delivering a contrasting flavor on their own while the mild cauliflower, pasta, and cheese stick to the business of comfort food goodness. It is rich, it is heavy, but there is cauliflower, and it is very enjoyable to eat.


16 comments:

  1. Never thought about pairing cauliflower with pasta before! What a nice way to get those veggies in. And it's an even better way to convince those who don't like cauliflower that it's really quite delicioso!

    ReplyDelete
  2. This looks much better--and not much more time consuming--than plain mac & cheese. I love reading about modifications that worked, like the ones you have here. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  3. mmmm that looks delicious! a nice way to dress up a mac and cheese type dish!

    ReplyDelete
  4. i'm not very good about cooking w/cauliflower, looks delish!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I have a head of cauliflower in my fridge and some leftover chopped scallions; this is what i'm making for dinner tomorrow!

    ReplyDelete
  6. duo-- Cauliflower is delicioso, and all should be convinced!

    laura-- It really didn't take much longer than plain mac and cheese, and it could have been lighter with milk in the sauce instead of cream.

    heather-- I suppose those breadcrumbs on top might have made it even dressier!

    sandy-- cauliflower could be your new best vegetable friend.

    mary-- That's great; hope you enjoy it!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Nice flavor combinations. This is the perfect winter comfort food dish!

    ReplyDelete
  8. This is fabulous.
    I make a great Sicilian pasta dish with cauliflower, breadcrumbs, RAISINS (yes) and pasta. It is so good.
    Cauliflower is so wonderful.
    Mario Batali does a great cauliflower puree sauce on simple pasta at his restaurant LUPA in nyc.
    I am hungry!

    ReplyDelete
  9. as a fan of dijon, cauliflower (a grossly underused veggie, in my opinion), and time-saving techniques, i think the recipe you used is full of win. :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. angela-- I admit to enjoying baked pasta any time of year, but you're right, it's really great in cooler months.

    stacey-- Hold everything. Cauliflower puree as a pasta sauce? Fantastic. Must try.

    grace-- Cauliflower definitely deserves more play!

    ReplyDelete
  11. That looks good! Baked pasta with melted gooey cheese...mmm...

    ReplyDelete
  12. A mac & cheese to eat without feeling so much guilt! Well, heck, there's cauliflower (a veg!) in it, right? It's health food in my book.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Oh, I think this is what I need to get my strength back. Comfort food!

    ReplyDelete
  14. I made this with the following modifications:

    I used a grocery-store brand blend of "fancy shredded cheeses," like asiago and romano and fontina, etc...this was a lot less pricey and came out AMAZING! I also didnt add the mustard and instead of creme fraiche I just used whole milk. Still, amazing. I also used crumbled Ritz crackers as the bread crumbs. Otherwise I did everything as directed.

    I would suggest these tips to make the meal delicious but on a budget. I also made this twice over to feed 6 of us because nowhere in the recipe does it say how many servings this makes.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Wow this looks like the perfect marriage of roast cauliflower and mac n cheese.

    ReplyDelete
  16. how comforting and this makes and excellent side dish =D yummy!

    ReplyDelete

Blogging tips