Italian · Serves 2
with Cavatappi Pasta
Bacon. Mac ‘n’ cheese. Need we say more? Okay, how about gooey, melty, bouncy, smoky, savory, and cascading with curls of cavatappi? Not convinced? Well, there’s a good amount of calcium-rich cauliflower in there too—roasted, not boiled, to bring out its natural sweetness and give it a crisp-edged tenderness that is sure to please.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Wash and dry all produce. Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens. Toss cauliflower on a baking sheet with a large drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Roast until tender, 20-25 minutes.
Once water is boiling, add cavatappi to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 9-11 minutes. Reserve ¼ cup pasta cooking water (½ cup for 4 servings), then drain.
Meanwhile, heat a large, dry pan over medium-high heat. Add bacon and cook, flipping occasionally, until just crispy, 6-10 minutes. Turn off heat. Transfer bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate. Discard all but 1 tsp bacon fat (2 tsp for 4 servings) from pan.
Melt 1 TBSP butter (2 TBSP for 4 servings) in same pan over medium heat. Add scallion whites and cook until softened, about 1 minute. Add flour and stir constantly until lightly browned, 1-2 minutes. Slowly whisk in milk, then stock concentrate. Increase heat to high and let bubble until slightly thickened, 1-2 minutes. Turn off heat, then whisk in cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
Using your hands, crumble bacon into small pieces. Stir bacon, cavatappi, cauliflower, and 2 TBSP reserved pasta cooking water (⅓ cup for 4 servings) into sauce. TIP: If pasta seems dry, add a few more splashes of reserved cooking water.
Divide mac ’n’ cheese between plates. Garnish with scallion greens and serve.
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