Cauliflower and Toasted - Breadcrumbs Pasta
After reading a few articles about “Pasta Chi Vruoccoli Arriminati”, an interesting Sicilian recipe and watching Jamie Oliver preparing “Creamy Cauliflower Cheese Spaghetti” I decided to try something similar but very simple and light for the last summer days or the first autumn ones :) … I kept the main ideea from the original recipe : by overcooking a little the cauliflower and stir it you’ll get a really creamy sauce which combined with pasta and toasted bread crumbs results in a delicious dish (especially if you finish it with a sprinkle of freshly grated parmesan cheese and a drizzle of olive oil )… So, here is what I did …
INGREDIENTS - for 2 persons
The Bread Crumbs
Stale Sourdough Bread or “Best you can get” - 100 - 150 grams
(You can prepare more and keep it in a sealed jar)
Good quality extra virgin olive oil - 5 ml
A pinch of salt
The sauce
Organic / Best you can get cauliflower - 500 grams
Best you can get parmesan cheese - cca 15-20 grams
Organic / Best you can get garlic - 2-3 garlic cloves
Organic / Best you can get onion - 1 medium
Good quality extra virgin olive oil - 5 ml
A pinch of pepper
A pinch of salt
The pasta
Best you can get pasta - 200-250 g
A pinch of salt
I Started With The Toasted Bread Crumbs
I took 2 big slices of stale sourdough bread, drizzled it with olive oil and baked it in the oven about 15 min at 200C with ventilation. I let it cool down and processed in a blender at very low speed a few seconds until I obtained “grain” size pieces … remember you want breadcrumbs not flour :)
Then I Made The Sauce …
I finely sliced 2 garlic cloves, put them in a thick pot with two spoons of olive oil and let the oil take some flavour for about 10-15 minutes. Then I added the cauliflower torn in small pieces, a finely chopped onion (small dice), water till the cauliflower level, a pinch of salt, I brought it to boil then I let it simmer about 35 - 40 minutes at low heat. In the last minutes I checked the cauliflower for doneness a few times and when it was soft enough I took the pot of the heat. I prepared the sauce in a blender at very low speed for a short time (I wanted a rougher texture, you can process it more if you consider) but If you want a more rustic look and texture you can stir vigorously the cauliflower directly in the pot with a wooden spoon until you get the consistency you prefer. Before stirring I removed the excess water ( you can add more as you stir it if you consider). Also before mixing ( or stirring ) I added a t-spoon of grated parmesan cheese. I finished the sauce with a pinch of salt, pepper, a drizzle of olive oil and juice from half a lemon ( for a refreshing summer taste ) … and kept it warm in a heavy pot …
And Continued With The Pasta …
I boiled the pasta for the time indicated on the package then I drained the water. In a large bowl I mixed the pasta and the warm cauliflower sauce. The sauce quantity is up to you but keep in mind that despite the creamy look this sauce is really light :) … so don’t feel guilty if you add a little more :).
Finally I transferred the creamy pasta on the serving plate and sprinkled over the bread crumbs and parmesan cheese. And of course a short drizzle of olive oil :) …
Have fun :) …
