Cheesy Broccoli & Chorizo Pasta Bake with Blistered Cherry Tomatoes

Cook Veg & Pasta:

Preheat oven to 200°C. Place a pot of salted water on stove and bring to a boil. Cut broccoli into florets. Add pasta to the pot and cook for 8 minutes, until al dente. Add broccoli in the last 4 minutes of cooking. Drain pasta and broccoli and place in ovenproof dish.

Prepare Bechamel Sauce:

Meanwhile; add half the butter to a pot and melt over low heat. Add the flour and stir for 1-2 minutes until it darkens just slightly to a nutty shade. Add milk ¹⁄₂ a cup at a time, stirring well between additions and bringing back to gentle simmer. Once all the milk has been added, cook for a further minute. Add in ¹⁄₂ the cheese, mustard and season to taste.

Cook Chorizo:

Roughly dice chorizo (see tip). Add chorizo to a pan over medium heat and cook for 3-4 minutes, until the oils are released and the chorizo crisps up a little.

Top with Cheese & Bake:

Zest lemon and cut into wedges. Add bechamel sauce to pasta and broccoli and mix well. Add ³⁄₄ of the chorizo and ensure thoroughly combined. Top with cheese, lemon zest (to taste), remaining chorizo and breadcrumbs. Place in oven and bake for 15 minutes, until golden brown on top.

Cook Tomatoes:

Meanwhile, heat the same pan used for the chorizo over medium heat and add cherry tomatoes. Cook until tomatoes blister, about 5 minutes and add a squeeze of lemon juice (to taste) at the end.

You Plate It:

Remove pasta dish from oven and divide among plates with blistered tomatoes on the side. You could also serve both dishes to the table and just help yourselves. Enjoy!