Easy One-Pot Cauliflower Pasta
What happens when you have some whole wheat pasta, a head of cauliflower and some pantry staples? A hearty vegetarian one-pot dinner in about 20 minutes, that’s what. Everything happens in one pan—you’ll need a large pan with high sides for this, as the pan will give you the surface area to really brown the cauliflower. After that, it’s all about adding flavor and nutty chewy whole wheat pasta, which pairs perfectly with the flavors of lemon, garlic, anchovy and capers and cooks right in the pot with everything else.
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
1 medium head of cauliflower
2 tbsp olive oil, plus more for finishing
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 tbsp anchovy paste (or 4 anchovies, minced)
¼ tsp chili flakes
4½ cups vegetable stock
12 oz short whole wheat pasta
¼ cup capers, rinsed and drained
1 tbsp lemon zest
1 cup pecorino, plus more for serving
½ cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
METHOD
Trim the cauliflower and cut into ½” slices (the cauliflower will naturally fall apart, but the flat surface area on those slices are the key to great browning in the pan). Cut up any larger pieces into small bite sized pieces.
In a large pan with high sides over medium high heat, add olive oil and cauliflower, season well with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Spread into a single layer (as much as possible) and let sit for 1 minute or so, then toss and sauté until browned (cauliflower won’t be cooked through at this point)—about 3-4 minutes. Stir in garlic, anchovy paste, chili flake and sauté for another minute. Add vegetable stock and season again with salt and pepper. When it comes to a boil add pasta and reduce to a rolling simmer for 12-14 minutes, stirring frequently, ensuring the pasta is submerged as much as possible.
Cook until al dente and most of the liquid is reduced and thickened. Turn off heat and stir in capers, lemon zest, pecorino and parsley. Finish with a few glugs of olive oil, garnish with more flat leaf parsley and serve immediately with pecorino alongside.
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