Cheesy Pumpkin, Bacon & Cauliflower Bake

This is a really delicious midweek meal. I made it as is, but I'll try it without the bacon and add a cup of frozen peas before baking to make it meat free.

Serious inexpensive comfort food!

One and a half kg of pumpkin, peeled and chopped into 3cm pieces

extra virgin olive oil

250g bacon, rind removed, chopped

2 large onions, roughly chopped

8 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

2 stalks rosemary, leaves finely chopped

2 tsp dried orgenao

pinch chilli flakes

1 head cauliflower, chopped into small florets

1 cup fresh breadcrumbs (or half a cup of dried)

For the sauce:

75g butter

1/3 cup plain flour

2 cups warm milk

2 cups grated cheese (edam, colby, mild etc)

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Preheat the oven to 180C fan bake (190C regular) and grease a 30cm x 20cm baking dish.

Place the pumpkin pieces on a roasting try and drizzle generously with extra virgin olive oil. season with salt and pepper and toss to coat evenly. Bake for 20 mins until almost cooked and with a bit of colour.

Whilst the pumpkin is cooking, add 2 tsp oil to a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the bacon and onion and cook, stirring for about 15 mins until the bacon and onion are golden and turning a bit sticky. Stir in the garlic, rosemary, oregano and chilli flakes and cook for another minute. Add the cauliflower and cook for 10 mins until it starts to soften. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from the heat.

Make the sauce: place butter in a medium saucepanover a medium-low heat. When melted, add the flour and cook, stirring, for a few minutes until pale but not browned. Remove from the heat and slowly pour in the milk, whisking all the time. Replace over the heat, stir in three quarters of the cheese and season to taste wiht salt and pepper.

Combine the sauce and rosted pumpkin with the bacon mixture and pour into the baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top.

Toss the breadcrumbs in a bowl with 2 tbsp of hte olive oil and a pinch of salt and sprinkle on top of the cheese.

Bake uncovered in the oven for 35-40 mins, or until golden and bubbling, and the cauliflower is tender. We served this with a rocket salad.