Baked Penne and Cauliflower with Cheesy Sauce

Any small pasta such as corkscrews, fusilli, rigatoni, or macaroni will work in place of the penne; I’ve found that gluten-free pasta in smaller shapes like these holds up well, so feel free to try it. The sauce makes about 4¾ cups; I reserve ¾ cup of the sauce to spread over the top instead of a layer of grated non- dairy cheese. It makes a nice, thick, creamy top layer that when broiled gets crusty on the edges. Serves 6 to 8

3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon vegan butter

1 (1½- to 1¾-pound) head cauliflower, cored and cut into 1-inch florets

¼ cup nutritional yeast

1 small onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 (12-ounce) can diced stewed tomatoes, drained

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons fine sea salt

1 teaspoon paprika

½ teaspoon ground white pepper

2 cups unsweetened soy milk or rice milk

¼ cup Cashew Cream (page 99)

8 ounces Daiya shredded nondairy cheddar-style cheese

12 ounces penne or any small tube- or cylindrical-shaped pasta

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Coat an 11 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish with 1 teaspoon of the vegan butter.

Cook the cauliflower in a large pot of boiling salted wa- ter until it is crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Using a large strainer spoon, remove the cauliflower from the pot of water and transfer it to a bowl. Reserve the pot of water.

Cook the nutritional yeast in a heavy saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until it is golden brown, about 2 minutes. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons vegan butter and stir until it’s melted and the mixture is foamy. Add the onion, garlic, and steamed cauliflower and sauté until the onion starts to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes to blend the flavors. Whisk in the mustard, salt, paprika, and white pepper. Whisk in the milk, cashew cream, and cheese. Simmer until the cheese melts and the mixture thickens slightly,

about 2 minutes, stirring as it cooks to make sure the cheese doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot.

Return the reserved pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is tender but still firm to the bite, about 7 minutes. Drain.

Transfer the pasta to the prepared baking dish. Stir in the cauliflower-cheesy sauce, reserving about ¾ cup. Pour the reserved cheese sauce over the top of the combined pasta and cauliflower-cheesy sauce. Cover and bake until heated through, about 25 minutes.

Uncover and bake for another 10 minutes, or until the top browns a bit. If you’d like the top to brown more, place it under the broiler until it browns to your liking.

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