Fridge improvisations: Linguine with Roasted Cauliflower and Bacon

Roasting cauliflower with shallots and bacon before tossing it with pasta mellows and sweetens its flavor. Recipe below.

THESE DAYS, A LOT OF COOKING IS STARING DOWN the ingredients you have on hand. Like the head of cauliflower we kept reminding each other needed cooking. And the bacon that wasn’t getting any younger. When we finally got around to taking on both, the result was an easy, wonderfully flavorful pasta dinner.

Cauliflower is loaded with health benefits. It’s rich in nutrients, high in fiber and a good source of antioxidants. It’s also a low-carb alternative to grains and legumes (cauliflower rice, anyone?). We sometimes substitute puréed cauliflower for mashed potatoes. And we think cauliflower is delicious. Pliny the Elder agrees. In 1AD, referring to it as cyma, he said, “Of all the varieties of cabbage the most pleasant-tasted is cyma.”

Roasting the cauliflower with bacon and shallots and a little salt mellows its flavor, bringing out its sweetness. As an added advantage in winter, the oven warms up the kitchen. You can cook the pasta while the cauliflower roasts. Try to time the pasta to finish at the same time, but the recipe includes tricks for making it work if the pasta is done before the cauliflower.

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Linguine with Roasted Cauliflower

Roasting cauliflower with shallots and bacon before tossing it with pasta mellows and sweetens its flavor.

Course Pasta

Cuisine Italian

Servings 3 servings as a main course

Ingredients

• 1 pound bite-sized cauliflower florets (see Kitchen Notes)
• 1 large shallot, chopped (or 2 medium shallots, or 1 medium onion)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil plus more if needed
• 4 slices thick cut bacon cut crosswise into 1/2-inch strips
• salt
• 10 ounces uncooked linguine or pasta of your choice
• freshly grated Parmesan cheese optional

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400ºF. In a large bowl, combine cauliflower, shallots and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Toss with your hands until everything is coated with oil.
• Arrange cauliflower mixture on a large baking sheet lined with a silicone baking liner (we like COOKINA and Silpat). Season lightly with salt and sprinkle the bacon pieces over the cauliflower. Roast for 15 minutes.
• Stir the cauliflower and continue to roast for another 10 to 15 minutes or slightly longer, if needed. You want the cauliflower lightly browned—charred in places—and tender.
• Meanwhile cook the pasta. Try to time it to be done when the cauliflower is ready. Reserve a cup or so of pasta water before draining.
• If cauliflower isn’t quite done (ours wasn’t), return the cooked pasta to the pot and cover to keep warm. When the cauliflower is ready, add the reserved pasta water to the pasta and toss it to loosen it up. Drain again, reserving some of the pasta water—yes, again. (If the pasta and the cauliflower sycnh up perfectly, you can skip this step.)
• Add the roasted cauliflower, shallots and bacon to the pasta in the pot and gently stir to combine. If the pasta seems dry, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of pasta water. Alternatively, drizzle in a little more olive oil. Taste and adjust seasonings with salt, if needed.
• Divide pasta among shallow pasta bowls, making sure everyone gets plenty of the cauliflower etcetera. Sprinkle with a little grated Parmesan, if you wish. Serve.

Kitchen Notes

How much cauliflower? What about broccoli? We had an untrimmed head of cauliflower that weighed about 1-3/4 pounds and produced 1 pound of florets. However much cauliflower you have on hand (within reason) is the right amount. You can also do a mix of cauliflower and broccoli, or just use broccoli. The taste will be slightly different, but delicious.