Pasta With Cauliflower Bacon Breadcrumbs Recipe 425 Food

PASTA WITH CAULIFLOWER, BACON AND SAGE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the cauliflower on a sheet pan. Drizzle with 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil, sprinkle with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and toss to coat. Roast, tossing occasionally, until tender and browned all over, 20 to 25 minutes. While the cauliflower roasts, bring a large pot of water to a boil.
• Heat a large (12-inch) skillet over medium-high. Add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Add the sage leaves to pan and fry until they begin to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sage leaves to the plate with the bacon. Drain all but 3 tablespoons of fat from the skillet (or add additional olive oil, if needed) and remove from heat.
• Add 1 tablespoon salt to the boiling water and cook the pasta until just al dente, reserving 1 1/2 cups of the pasta water. Drain the pasta and add to the reserved skillet; heat over low. Pour or squeeze the lemon juice over the pasta, along with 1 cup pasta water and the 1/2 cup grated Parmesan. Toss until the sauce comes together.
• Stir in the cauliflower, bacon and sage, adding a splash more pasta water if the pasta seems dry. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with lemon zest, and serve with extra Parmesan on the side.

PASTA WITH ROASTED CAULIFLOWER AND PARMESAN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Toss cauliflower with garlic cloves, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Spread out in an even layer on a baking sheet.
• Roast in the preheated oven, tossing at least twice, until cauliflower is tender, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add penne and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 11 minutes.
• Mix Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, and cayenne pepper together in a bowl; set aside.
• Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water. Transfer pasta to a serving bowl and add cauliflower and butter. Stir in cooking water, a little at a time, until desired creaminess is reached. Add lemon juice and bread crumb mixture, toss, and serve.

CAULIFLOWER WITH BREADCRUMBS

Steps:

• Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil.
• Add the cauliflower florets; boil for 4 to 5 minutes until just starting to go tender.
• Drain cauliflower and leave in the colander for a few minutes to steam dry.
• Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of the butter in a saute pan.
• Add the onion. Cook until it starts to soften.
• Add the remainder of the butter and the breadcrumbs and cook, stirring constantly, until crispy.
• Add the cauliflower and cook, stirring constantly, until it starts to turn a light golden colour.
• Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and serve immediately.

BRAISED CAULIFLOWER WITH CAPERS & TOASTED BREAD CRUMBS

Steps:

• Toasting the bread crumbs: Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Spread the bread crumbs in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake, stirring once or twice with a pancake turner, until the crumbs are the color of pale toast and lightly crunchy, about 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• Trimming the cauliflower: Cut the cauliflower into florets, discarding the thick core. Cut into individual florets that are about 1 1/2 inches long and just about as wide. You want them small, but not trimmed so much that they are falling apart.
• Browning the cauliflower: Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet (12-inch) over medium-high heat. When hot, add the florets and saute, turning frequently, until they are speckled allover with nice bits of brown, about 8 minutes total. Add the capers, stir to dis- tribute, and cook for another minute.
• The braise: Pour in the stock or water, season with salt and pepper (go easy on the salt because of the capers), cover tightly, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer gently until the cauliflower is tender enough to be easily pierced with the tip of a knife, 15 to 20 minutes. If the liquid threatens to dry up at any point, add a splash of water.
• The finish: When the cauliflower is tender, remove the lid and boil away any remain- ing liquid, shaking the pan so the cauliflower doesn't stick. Add a squeeze of lemon, and taste for salt and pepper. Stir in the bread crumbs and serve immediately.
• Variation: Penne with Braised Cauliflower & Capers.
• Turn this cauliflower into a meal by boiling up 3/4 pound of short tube-shaped pasta, such as penne, fusilli, or gemelli. When the pasta is al dente, drain it, reserving about 1 cup of the cooking water. In Step 14, don't boil away any remaining liquid. Add the pasta to the cauliflower before adding the bread crumbs, and add enough reserved pasta cooking water to moisten the dish. Drizzle with a bit of extra-virgin olive oil, stir in the bread crumbs, and taste for salt and pepper. A small handful of chopped flat-leaf parsley and some freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese are good finishing touches.