No ordinary Mac 'n' Cheese

This dish was practically inhaled by both Lucy and Georgia last night!  There was no fuss, no moaning, no negotiating... it was a winner on every front!  Mark and I really enjoyed it too with a big salad on the side. I will definitely be making this regularly from now on, it is a no-fail family friendly meal.  Jamie Oliver does a good version using pancetta but I saw an opportunity to make this a little more substantial by using sausage.

I can't fatholm why the "blue box" mac 'n' cheese is served everywhere here in the States, this dish has such potential to be a haven for good flavors and wholesome food. There is such a McDonalds mentality here, it is a real shame that kids don't get an opportunity to test their limits and continue to be offered the same recipe everywhere they go.  No wonder they struggle to try different foods. Put this on your menu at home and let them tell you what they think!  I bet they'll never ask for boring old mac and cheese again!

Serves 4

Ingredients:
375g polish/pork sausage (approx 2 thick sausages)
250g (2.5 cups) of shell pasta or macaroni elbows
1/2 large head of cauliflower
salt
olive oil
1 clove of garlic, crushed
125g (4.5 oz) mature cheddar cheese, freshly grated
125g (4.5 oz) creme fraiche
3 slices of stale or crunchy bread
1 sprig of rosemary

Method:

• Fill and boil the kettle 
• Pre-heat the oven to 425'F/ 220'C
• Chop the 1/2 head of cauliflower into at least 5 or 6 large pieces, trimming off the unwanted outer stalks
• In a saucepan, put the pasta and cauliflower, stalks down, into the saucepan and fill with boiling water.  Add salt and a little drizzle of olive oil and boil until pasta is cooked
• Skin the sausage and break the meat up into pieces.  In a hot pan over the stove, fry the sausage meat until cooked.
• In a mini processor, process the bread with rosemary into breadcrumbs and put aside in a bowl.
• When the sausage is cooked, process that into small pieces and add to the breadcrumb mix.
• When the pasta and cauliflower are cooked, drain over a bowl keeping at least 200ml (1 cup) of pasta water.
• In an oven proof dish, appropriate for serving*, tip in your pasta and cauliflower.  Carefully mash the cauliflower with a fork until you reach your desired 'mashiness'.  I kept them in small chunks but mashed the majority for consistency of the sauce.  
• Add the pasta water, crushed garlic, cheese and creme fraiche and combine into a silky loose sauce.
• Sprinkle the sausage and breadcrumb mix over the top and bake in the oven for 8-10mins until golden brown and crunchy on top
• Serve with a salad of baby spinach, fetta and pine nuts and enjoy! 

* You could also do these in individual ramekins for the kids as everyone was after more than their fair share of the sausage last night.  It would also be a good way to hold off on the adults meals if it's not possible to eat together.