Garlic Butter Cauliflower Pasta with Pangrattato Recipe

Cauliflower, 1 lemon, 2 slices of bread, pasta and a handful of pantry necessities. It truly is wonderful how a couple of easy elements could be reworked into some SO GOOD. The crowning glory of this Cauliflower Pasta is the pangrattato (aka Magic Toasted Breadcrumbs).

I by no means understood Meatless Monday. For those who do grocery purchasing on the weekend, doesn’t it make sense to prepare dinner with recent meat early within the week (i.e. MONDAY)?

I suppose regular individuals go Meatless on Monday to attempt to kick off the week on a wholesome observe. Not me. I’m normally the reverse. Contemporary protein for the primary half of the week, then vegetarian / pantry meals for the second half of the week!

So I’m not sharing this on a Monday to leap in on Meatless Monday. I’m sharing this as a result of I’m a kind of individuals who simply can’t resist a cut price, and when large, stunning heads of cauliflower have been on sale for $1.49, I purchased 3 of them. THREE.

Yup, that’s the way in which I function. Did you assume that I deliberate out the recipes I submit with army precision? I’m sorry to burst that bubble! Regardless of my greatest makes an attempt, I can’t follow a recipe posting schedule. I am going to the outlets with a purchasing listing designed round issues I plan to make, however I all the time get aspect tracked by no matter recent produce is on particular! Like lamb shanks. 🙂 That’s why I shared my Lamb Shanks recipe – they have been 30% off!

I don’t assume individuals ordinarily affiliate cauliflower with pasta, however can I let you know – it goes SO WELL! When cauliflower is roasted or browned in a skillet, it will get a barely nutty flavour. About as completely different as you will get to dull, boiled cauliflower!

However the crowning glory of this pasta needs to be the pangrattato. “Pangrattato” is called the “poor man’s parmesan” in Italy and was invented as a cost-effective substitute for parmesan. It’s simply small chunky bits of bread, both toasted of pan fried with olive oil and seasoned with salt.

Something you sprinkle it on – WOW! Salty bursts of crunchy, golden bread, it actually can elevate probably the most strange of issues into one thing significantly scrumptious! I sprinkle it on pasta, gratins and bakes, roasted greens (do this Roasted Broccoli with Pangrattato!) and it’s unbelievable sprinkled on salads too!

Cauliflower pan fried till golden in garlicky butter tossed by means of pasta with lemon and chili, topped with crunchy salty pangrattato. THIS  is Meat Free for Carnivores!

Garlic Butter Cauliflower Pasta with Pangrattato Recipe

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Serves: 3 Prep Time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 15 minutes 15 minutes

Nutrition facts: 408 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 1 voted )

Ingredients

• 1 to 2 slices bread , crusts removed, preferably stale (enough to make 1/2 cup)
• Oil spray (preferably olive oil)
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves , smashed (Note 1)
• 1/2 large head of cauliflower , broken/cut into florets about 2"/5cm long (about 4 to 5 cups) (Note 2)
• 8 oz / 250 g fettuccine (or pasta of choice)
• 1/2 red onion , thinly sliced
• 1/2 to 1 tsp red chili flakes
• 1 lemon : 2 tbsp lemon juice + zest of 1/2 the lemon
• Salt & pepper
• Parmesan cheese , freshly grated
• Fresh parsley , finely chopped (optional)

Instructions

1. Dice the bread into small pieces - you want (at least!) 1/2 cup. Spray generously with oil.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the bread crumbs and saute for about 2 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the skillet into a bowl and sprinkle with salt.
3. Return the skillet to the stove. Melt the butter then add the oil. When hot, add the smashed garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
4. Add the cauliflower. Cook, stirring occasionally, for around 3 minutes, then add the red onion and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Continue cooking for another 5 minutes, until the cauliflower is beautiful golden brown but still a bit firm.
5. Remove the smashed garlic cloves.
6. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in salted boiling water - 1 minute less than the recommended cooking time on the packet!
7. RESERVE 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Then drain the pasta or use tongs to transfer it directly to the skillet.
8. Pour the reserved pasta cooking water into the skillet along with the red chili flakes, a good pinch of salt and pepper. Gently toss the pasta for 1 to 2 minutes, until the water evaporates - you will be left with a luscious coating of sauce on each strand of pasta (this is called emulsification) and the cauliflower will finish cooking.
9. Remove from the stove. Grate over zest of 1/2 the lemon and drizzle over about 2 tbsp of lemon juice. Toss quickly.
10. Serve, sprinkled with Pangrattato with freshly grated parmesan and parsley, if using.

Notes

1. If your bread is not stale, toast it lightly in the toaster. Makes it easier to cut into small pieces.

2. Peel the garlic cloves then use the side of your knife to burst them open but still remain mostly in one piece.

3. It's hard to measure cauliflower other than by weight which I never do! The best way I can describe this is to cut the cauliflower into 5cm/2 inch long florets about 1 1/2 inches wide. Use enough to fill a large skillet (crowded) OR fill a standard size baking tray (sparsley).

4. Nutrition assuming 3 servings (they are quite generous size servings!).