Cauliflower Mac and Cheese

Step 1
Preheat the oven to 180°C fan forced. Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Chop the cauliflower florets and stems into small bite sized pieces and set aside. Grate the parmesan on the fine side of a box grater, setting aside 1/2 a cup for the breadcrumb topping. Grate the vintage cheddar on the coarse side of a box grater.

Step 2
Cook the pasta in boiling water for 6 minutes then add the cauliflower to the pot with the pasta and cook for a further 2 minutes. Drain the pasta and cauliflower and return to the pot.

Step 3
Add milk, cream, grated cheddar, and 1 cup of the finely grated parmesan to the pasta-cauliflower mix. Season with ground nutmeg, salt and pepper and gently stir to combine well. Spoon into a 20cm x 30cm ovenproof dish.

Step 4
To make the breadcrumb topping, pick the thyme leaves from the stems, you’ll need about 2 tablespoons of leaves. In a small bowl, combine the thyme leaves, breadcrumbs, and remaining ½ cup of parmesan. Mince the garlic directly into the bowl, add the olive oil, season generously with salt and pepper, and mix well to combine. Scatter breadcrumbs evenly over the pasta mix.

Step 5
Bake for 20 minutes or until golden and crunchy on top.