Ingredients:
1 head of cauliflower, chopped
6 skin-on garlic cloves
1 lb short pasta (cavatelli, penne, orechiette, etc)
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 tbsp butter, softened
~2 tbsp (or more) of pine nuts, toasted
1/4 cup breadcrumbs*, toasted
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Red chili flakes
Parsley
Instructions:
On a sheet pan, drizzle cauliflower and garlic cloves with some olive oil, salt, pepper, and red chile flakes. Roast at 425°, tossing occasionally, until the cauliflower is caramelized and crisp, about 30 minutes. Once cool, peel the roasted garlic cloves.In a large bowl, combine Parmesan, three tablespoons of butter, a pinch of salt, toasted pine nuts, and a quarter-cup of toasted breadcrumbs.
Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta. Drain the pasta, reserving about a cup of the cooking liquid (I usually end up using around quarter-cup). Toss the hot pasta with the cauliflower, garlic cloves, Parmesan butter mixture, and enough pasta water to mix it all together. Garnish with a handful of torn parsley leaves.
*Note: If using Italian style (instead of plain) breadcrumbs, you might want to go lighter on the garlic - maybe only use 4 cloves. I used Italian breadcrumbs plus the 6 cloves and we really enjoyed it, but we also love garlic.
(adapted from bonappetit.com)
