Use up cauliflower cheese leftovers with Jamie Oliver's creamy pasta recipe - costs £1

Use up cauliflower cheese leftovers with Jamie Oliver's creamy pasta recipe (Image: Getty)

Christmas often leaves behind an unmanageable amount of leftover food many Brits don’t know what to do with.

One simple recipe could be a partial answer to this issue, as it reuses cauliflower and bread to create a delicious and warming pasta dish.

Jamie Oliver shared on his official website a recipe from his his cookbook ‘£1 Wonders’, which makes four servings in just 30 minutes.

About his creation, the chef and restaurateur said: “Who doesn’t love a quick pasta? This lovely little number is all about keeping costs down and ramping up flavour.

“I’ve taken my favourite side dish (the iconic cauliflower cheese) and turned it into something a little bit grown-up.”

This recipe reuses cauliflower and bread to create a delicious and warming pasta dish (Image: Getty)

Jamie Oliver's cauliflower cheese pasta recipe

Ingredients

400g frozen cauliflower florets

One leek

Olive oil

Two cloves of garlic

One slice of stale crusty white bread (50g)

20g mixed nuts

One pinch of dried thyme

One tablespoon plain flour

400ml semi-skimmed milk

100g mature Cheddar cheese

300g dried spaghetti

This cauliflower cheese pasta recipe is ready in 30 minutes (Image: Getty)

Method

Start by placing the frozen cauliflower in a microwave-safe bowl. Cut off the white part of the leek (save the green tops for later use) and add the leek to the bowl with the cauliflower. Microwave on high (800W) for about 10 minutes, or until the cauliflower is thawed and the leek has softened.

While that’s heating, warm one tablespoon of olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Peel and finely chop a clove of garlic, then add it to the pan. Cook for two minutes, or until golden and fragrant.

Thinly slice the green leek tops and add them to the pan. Tear or roughly chop some bread into chunky breadcrumbs, then add them to the pan as well. Stir occasionally, cooking the breadcrumbs for about five minutes, or until they start to crisp up. Once they’re golden, stir in the chopped nuts and continue cooking for another minute or so until they’re lightly toasted. Remove everything from the pan and set it aside on a plate.

Next, return the skillet to the heat and add one teaspoon of oil. Peel and finely slice the remaining garlic clove, adding it to the pan. Cook for two minutes, or until golden. Slice the white portion of the leek and add it to the pan, then stir in the dried thyme and the softened cauliflower.

Sprinkle the flour into the pan and mix it in, then slowly pour in the milk a little at a time, stirring constantly, until the mixture forms a smooth, creamy sauce.

Take the pan off the heat and either use a hand blender to puree the sauce until it’s completely smooth or use a potato masher for a chunkier texture. Stir in most of the cheese and mix until melted and smooth.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a pot of salted boiling water according to the instructions on the package. Once the pasta is done, transfer it directly into the sauce, making sure to bring along a little of the pasta water. Toss the pasta and sauce together, adding extra pasta water as needed to reach the desired consistency.

Serve the pasta on plates, topping with the crispy breadcrumb and nut mixture and finishing with the remaining grated cheese.