Print
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 4-6 1x

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds of cauliflower, cut into florets
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 6 ounces pancetta, cut into small cubes (optional)
  • 4 ounces scamorza, provolone, or fontina cheese, cut into small pieces
  • ½ cup heavy cream (optional)
  • 4 ounces Parmigiano cheese, grated
  • 4 ounces breadcrumbs
  • 2 ounces butter
  • Salt, to taste
  • Pepper, to taste
  • Crushed red pepper
  • 1 pound rigatoni or other tubular pasta.

Which wine do
I pair with this recipe?

Check out our wine pairings to complement this recipe!

Find Out

Instructions

  1. In a large skillet, sauté the garlic in the olive oil until golden. Remove the garlic. If using pancetta, add it and sauté until light golden. Add the cauliflower and then enough water to almost cover it. Cook, covered for 5-10 minutes, then uncovered for another 5 minutes until water is mostly evaporated. The cauliflower should be tender, but not mushy. Add about 1 teaspoon each of salt, black pepper and/or crushed red pepper, depending on your taste.
  2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
  3. Cook the pasta until very al dente (about 3-4 minutes less than the package’s instructions) and drain it. Place the pasta into an oven proof casserole. Mix in the cauliflower, add the cream if you are using it, and then sprinkle the cheese and breadcrumbs evenly across the top. Add a few small pats of butter. Place under the broiler for 5-10 minutes until the cheese is melted and golden brown. Serve immediately.