Roasted green chile, cauliflower & goat’s cheese pastafinished-plated-dish.jpg


Submitted by: Julia Leonard

We’re all looking for ways to stretch our dollars and pasta is a great way to feed a crowd. But budget doesn’t have to be boring – with a key ingredients you make a meal full of flavor. Take our roasted green chile, cauliflower & goat’s cheese pasta. Start with roasted green chile for some heat and then add goat’s cheese for a creamy balance. Cauliflower is a great way to sneak some veg into your meal and it makes the pasta go even further.

 


You can serve it straight out of the pan or make it ahead of time and place it in a buttered, oven proof casserole dish, cover with aluminium foil and pop it in the fridge. Ideally, remove from the fridge and allow to come to room temperature before topping with bread crumbs and placing in a hot oven and cooking until the cheese bubbles – about twenty minutes.

 Any leftovers are great microwaved the next day for a hearty lunch. If you want to add some meat, leftover roast chicken or cooked chorizo would be a great addition to the mix.

 Note: you’ll use the white part of the leek but don’t toss the top. Pop it in the freezer and add to your pot next time you make chicken or vegetable stock.

INGREDIENTS:

Makes 6 servings

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1 lb pasta, such as penne or farfalle
10 oz. chopped cauliflower (about 3 cups)
1 cup diced roasted green chile
1 lemon, zest
1 leek, white part chopped
8 oz. goat’s cheese
2 Tbsp butter


DIRECTIONS:

Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted, boiling water, according to the package directions. While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a deep frying pan, add the chopped leek, cover and cook gently for about 8-10 minutes. The leek should be soft but not browned. Add the chopped chile, season generously with salt and pepper, and cook for another couple of minutes.

About two minutes before the pasta is done, add the chopped cauliflower to the pot. Use a slotted spoon and scoop out the cooked pasta and cauliflower and add to the leeks and chile. Add the goat’s cheese, lemon zest and one cup of the pasta cooking liquid. Stir, allowing the goat’s cheese to melt and coat the pasta. Add another half a cup or so of the pasta water, if needed – you want the pasta to be lovely and creamy.


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