This is so easy. And so tasty. I’ve been meaning to share the recipe for a week now but everything has been so busy… better late than never though right?

The cauliflower ragu can be made in just a little longer than the time it takes to boil your pasta water and then cook said pasta. It’s delicious and full of umami richness, thanks to the Parmesan, mushrooms and vegemite. You could use aussiemite, Marmite or in a pinch miso paste if you’re not a vegemite household.

Everything should be diced finely so that it cooks quickly, I shave the cauliflower and then roughly chop it so that you get a sort of shaggy ragu like consistency.

Fresh mozzarella adds stretchy cheesiness with out making things feel heavy. The sprinkle of Parmesan helps create crunchy texture on the bits of pasta that are sticking up. This pasta bake is all about that texture!

Using Sundried tomato adds loads of flavour but you can just use extra virgin olive oil. I like to buy Sundried tomatoes preserved in olive oil.

Serves 4, can be doubled.

Ingredients

400g rigatoni

2 Tbs sundried tomato oil

6 medium cup mushrooms, finely diced (or use 12 button mushrooms)

1 cup finely diced carrot

1 cup finely diced celery

1/2 a brown onion, finely diced (sub for spring onion if you want to decrease fructose)

1 Tbs fresh thyme leaves

3 cloves of garlic, crushed

1/4 cup roughly chopped Sundried tomatoes

1/4 tsp chilli flakes

1/2 a cauliflower, shaved then roughly chopped

1/2 cup white wine

1 x 400g can tomato polpa or crushed tomatoes

1 tsp vegemite

2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan

100-200g fresh mozzarella, torn (you can make it as light or heavy on the cheese as you please)

Directions

Preheat oven to 190 degrees C.

Place a large pot of salted water on to boil and then start the sauce.

Put a large high sided pan on medium high heat, once hot add the oil. Then add the mushrooms, celery, carrot and onion. Sauté for 5 minutes or until softened. Add the thyme, chilli, Sundried tomatoes and garlic and cook for a further minute.

Add the cauliflower and stir until mixed through. Cook for a few minutes to soften. Things should be starting to get a little colour.

Add the wine and cook until it’s reduced. Then add the tomatoes. Next stir through the vegemite and 1/2 the Parmesan. Allow to cook down while your pasta cooks.

Cook your pasta and then drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water in case your sauce needs it. Toss the pasta and the sauce together adding pasta water if things are too dry.

Pour 1/2 into a baking dish, sprinkle over 1/2 the torn mozzarella. Add the rest of the pasta and dot over the remaining mozzarella and sprinkle over the remaining Parmesan.

Transfer to the oven and cook for 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and things are getting a little golden.

HH. x