Pasta with Roasted Cauliflower and Garlic

#219       Comment on this recipe.

Pre-Notes

This dish is best with short pasta, such as, campanelle.

Ingredients

1. 2 heads garlic, papery skins removed, top quarter of heads cut off and discarded
2. 6 T plus 1 t extra virgin olive oil
3. 1 head cauliflower (about 1 1/2 lbs)
4. 1/4 t sugar
5. 1 lb pkg pasta
6. 1/4 t red pepper flakes
7. 2-3 T juice from 1 lemon
8. 1 T fresh parsley leaves, chopped
9. 2 oz Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1 c)

Instructions

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position, place large rimmed baking sheet on rack, and heat oven to 500°F.
2. Cut one 12 inch sheet of foil and spread flat on counter. Place garlic heads, cut side up, in center of foil.
3. Drizzle 1/2 t olive oil over each head and seal packet.
4. Place packet on oven rack and roast until garlic is very tender, about 40 minutes. Remove packet from oven, leaving baking sheet.
5. Open packet and set aside to cool.
6. While garlic is roasting, trim outer leaves of cauliflower and cut stem flush with bottom.
7. Cut head of cauliflower from pole to pole into 8 equal wedges.
8. Place cauliflower in large bowl, toss with 2 T oil, 1 t salt, pepper to taste, and sugar.
9. Remove baking sheet from oven. Carefully transfer cauliflower to baking sheet and spread into even layer, placing cut sides down.
10. Return baking sheet to oven and roast until cauliflower is well browned and tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
11. Transfer cauliflower to cutting board. When cool enough to handle, chop into rough 1/2 inch pieces.
12. While cauliflower roasts, cook pasta according to package directions, reserving pasta water.
13. In a small bowl, squeeze roasted garlic from their skins. Using a fork, mash garlic to smooth paste, then stir in red pepper flakes, and 2 T lemon juice. Slowly whisk in remaining 1/4 c of oil.
14. Add cauliflower to cooked pasta; stir in garlic sauce, 1/4 c pasta water, parsley and 1/2 c cheese.
15. Adjust consistency with additonal cooking water and season with salt, pepper, and additional lemon juice to taste.
16. Serve immediately, sprinkling with remaining 1/2 c cheese.

Picture of Recipe