Cauliflower And Orecchiette Pasta With Pine Nuts

Cauliflower and Orecchiette Pasta with Pine Nuts

 

 

Prep Time: 20 min -- Cook Time --  3 hour -- Serves 4

Source: Tinkskitchen.com

 

 

Ingredients

 

• 4 oz orecchiette pasta
• 1 medium head of cauliflower, cut into small florets
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Fresh parsley or basil, chopped, for garnish (optional)

 

Directions:

 

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the orecchiette according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
2. While the pasta cooks, preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Toss cauliflower florets with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt, and pepper on a baking sheet. Roast for about 20-25 minutes or until they are golden and tender, tossing halfway through.
3. In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the pine nuts, stirring frequently, until they are golden brown, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
4. In the same skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the sliced garlic and red pepper flakes, sautéing until the garlic is golden but not burnt, about 1-2 minutes. 
5. Add the roasted cauliflower to the skillet with the garlic, tossing to coat. If the skillet is too dry, add a little of the reserved pasta water.
6. Add the drained orecchiette to the skillet. Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, and Parmesan cheese. If the pasta seems too dry, add more pasta water, a little at a time, until you achieve your desired consistency. Season with additional salt and pepper if needed.
7. Stir in the toasted pine nuts, reserving a few for garnish if you like.
8. Serve the pasta hot, garnished with extra Parmesan and fresh herbs if using.

 

 

--------------------

Notes:

April 9, 2016

 

It's fun to make things up and then eat them and they actually are good.  I didn't use hardly any of the pasta water, as I actually wanted this more dry than wet.  Make sense?  Anyway, got a new dish, thought it looked great in the photo.

 

 

All Photographs Copyright Tink's Kitchen and JSGrey