BROCCOLI MAC & CHEESE BAKE

Think of your TOP 5 comfort meals, and then convince me that Mac 'n' Cheese isn't one of them. Now you're probably thinking, pasta pasta pasta, all I think about is pasta. Well, you're not far from the truth, but let me explain why!

1. It's super quick to make

2. Very versatile, can be paired with virtually anything - savoury or sweet

3. Not perishable at all, meaning I can reach for it whenever

4. Comes in all shapes and sizes

5. I mean, c'mon, it's obviously DELICIOUS

Right! Now that we've settled that, we can move on to the actual recipe.

As always, I had some leftover broccoli in my fridge which I intended to use on another recipe, but I unfortunately ended up leaving it out. Poor and alone, this lovely little tree of a vegetable was just standing there on that shelf, waiting for me to grab it. And I did, and just in time I suppose! I remembered that I still had some macaroni and Guanciale left, so I thought, why not just bake it all in the oven? For a super fast recipe, not bad friends, not bad at all! Let's get crackin' shall we?

INGREDIENTS (serves 2)

200g macaroni pasta
120g broccoli, cut into florets
20g butter (or just use 1 - 2 tablespoons of olive oil)
60g Parmigiano Reggiano
60g Guanciale, cut into chunks (optiona, or just use Pancetta) *
2 spring onions, sliced finely
2 garlic cloves, minced
100 ml cooking cream
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon Cayenne pepper
15g breadcrumbs, approx.
handful of chopped parsley (for the topping, optional)
juice of 1/2 lemon (optional) *

Let's get to cooking! Since it's all gonna go down pretty quickly, prepare all of your ingredients in advance. Chop up your spring onion, garlic, Guanciale/Pancetta, and broccoli, then grate your Parmigiano.

Place a large pot of water on high heat which you've seasoned generously with sea salt.

Until you're waiting for it to come up to a vigorous boil, crisp up your preferred cured meat in a small pan over medium heat, adding a little bit of olive oil to help it out. Add the garlic approximately 1 - 2 minutes before the meat gets crispy, sauté until it releases its aromas, and set aside.

Cook your pasta according to package instructions, then add in your broccoli 2 minutes before the pasta is cooked, making sure to cover it partially with a lid.

Preheat your oven to 220° C, with the broiler mark on.

Drain your pasta and broccoli, return them to the same pot, then add in all of your remaining ingredients; butter, Parmigiano, cooking cream, spring onion, nutmeg, Cayenne, and the garlic + cured meat. Return to a medium heat to melt the cheese, which will take approximately 2 minutes, then transfer to a baking dish.

Spread the pasta evenly, and follow up with a sprinkle of Parmigiano, and breadcrumbs.

Crisp it up in the oven for 5 - 6 minutes, or until it turns golden brown on top.

Serve with a handful of chopped parsley, and a squeeze of lemon juice!