Cheesy Baked Penne with Cauliflower and Crème Fraîche

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons flour 
• 1 cup breadcrumbs fresh french crustless (from bread ground in processor)
• 5 tablespoons butter divided
• 1.5 pound cauliflower cored cut into 1-inch florets
• 8 servings kosher salt 
• 3 cups comté divided grated (or half Gruyère and half Fontina; 9 ounces)
• 1 cup crème fraîche 
• 0.5 cup spring onion thinly sliced
• 1 cup cup heavy whipping cream 
• 2 large heirloom tomatoes 
• 0.8 cup parmesan cheese divided finely grated
• 3.5 cups penne pasta 
• 1 tablespoon coarse mustard whole

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• oven
• whisk
• pot
• sieve
• glass baking pan

Directions

1. Cook cauliflower in large pot of boilingsalted water until crisp-tender, about5 minutes. Using large sieve, transfercauliflower to bowl.
2. Add tomatoes to pot;cook 1 minute.
3. Remove from water; peeland dice tomatoes. Reserve pot of water.
4. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in largeskillet over medium-high heat.
5. Addcauliflower; sauté until beginning tobrown, about 5 minutes.
6. Add tomatoesand green onions. Cook 1 minute to blendflavors.
7. Remove from heat. Season withcoarse salt and pepper.
8. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in largesaucepan over medium-low heat.
9. Addflour and stir 2 minutes. Gradually whiskin cream. Cook until sauce thickens,whisking occasionally, about 4 minutes.
10. Add 2 cups Comté cheese; whisk untilmelted and sauce is smooth.
11. Whisk in1/2 cup Parmesan, then crème fraîche andmustard. Season with salt and pepper.
12. Remove from heat.
13. Return reserved pot of water to boil.
14. Add pasta and cook until tender but stillfirm to bite, stirring occasionally.
15. Drain;return pasta to same pot. Stir in cauliflowermixture and sauce.
16. Butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish.Spoon in half of pasta mixture; sprinklewith 1/2 cup Comté cheese. Top withremaining pasta mixture and 1/2 cup Comtécheese. Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butterin small skillet.
17. Add breadcrumbs and tossto coat.
18. Remove from heat; mix in 1/4 cup Parmesan.
19. Sprinkle crumbs over pasta.DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 hours ahead.
20. Let stand at room temperature.
21. Preheat oven to 350°F.
22. Bake pastauncovered until heated through andbubbling, about 35 minutes.
23. *Sold at some supermarkets and atspecialty foods stores.