Gradual-roasting cauliflower means to roast it within the oven for two to three hours at 160C/320F. Then it will get a very totally different texture, taste, and colour. We love slow-roasted cauliflower and I’ve already revealed a number of recipes on this weblog that includes it:
Nevertheless, I haven’t posted the model of pasta with slow-roasted cauliflower that I’ve been getting ready most frequently these days, and which I served at wine pairing dinners at my home. And so it was time to treatment that. The cauliflower is allowed to shine on this dish, as a result of the thyme and pecorino cheese are solely there to help and improve the cauliflower. It’s vegetarian pasta dish by which no one misses meat.
Elements
For 3 or 4 servings
- 300 grams (.33 lb) orecchiette or different quick pasta
- 900 grams (2 lbs) cauliflower florets
- 60 ml (1/4 cup) olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon desk salt + salt for boiling the pasta
- 2 Tbsp contemporary thyme leaves
- 50 grams (1.8 oz) freshly grated pecorino cheese
- high-quality additional virgin olive oil for drizzling
- freshly floor black pepper
Directions
Preheat the oven to 160C/325F, not fan compelled.
Break up or minimize the cauliflower into small florets which can be kind of of even measurement. One massive cauliflower ought to yield about 900 grams of florets. Discard the stems and leaves, or save them for one more use.
Organize the cauliflower florets on a big oven dish or baking sheet in a single layer. Drizzle the cauliflower with 60 ml of olive oil, and season with 1/2 teaspoon of desk salt.
Then toss the cauliflower florets till they’re coated with oil and salt on all sides.
Roast the cauliflower for about half an hour at 160C/325F, then toss it, and return it to the oven. Attempt to get any browned elements exhibiting down.
Hold tossing the cauliflower each half hour. In case your oven all the time works with a fan, you need to use a temperature of 150C/300F solely, and toss extra continuously, as in any other case the cauliflower will burn in spots whereas it’s nonetheless undercooked.
Hold roasting and tossing till the caulifower is properly browned. This may take 2 to three hours. Please observe {that a} smaller quantity of cauliflower will brown extra shortly and a bigger quantity will take extra time. If you wish to put together a double quantity, I’d suggest to roast the cauliflower in two batches (which is able to take 4-6 hours when you’ve got only one oven) as in any other case it received’t brown correctly.
When the cauliflower is nearly accomplished, carry a pot of water to a boil, then add salt and the pasta, and boil the pasta for the time indicated on the package deal. Save a number of the pasta cooking water.
Take the cauliflower out of the oven. Add the drained pasta, and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of contemporary thyme leaves.
Sprinkle with 50 grams of freshly grated pecorino cheese, and season with freshly floor black pepper.
Add a number of the reserved pasta cooking water, and toss the pasta with the cauliflower till the cheese has melted.
Serve without delay on preheated plates, drizzled with prime quality additional virgin olive oil, and garnished with some extra freshly grated pecorino cheese, and a few freshly floor black pepper.
Wine pairing
This pasta dish is nice with a medium-bodied crimson wine. At wine pairing dinners, we tried it with these wines:
- Maratray-Dubreuil Aloxe-Corton 2019 (100% Pinot Noir, Burgundy, France): wonderful pairing
- Le Cave Castello di Uviglie Barbera 2015 (100% Barbera, Piemonte, Italy): good pairing, however the acidity and tannins of the wine usually are not an ideal match with the dish
- Raimbault Vielles Vignes Sancerre Rouge 2019 (100% Pinot Noir, Loire, France): wonderful pairing
- Campo Viejo Rioja Vindimia Seleccionada 2019 (100% Tempranillo, Rioja, Spain): good pairing however the coconut aromas from the oak ageing are a bit too robust
- Raimbault Sancerre Rouge 2022 (100% Pinot Noir, Loire, France): wonderful pairing
- Lavignone Barbera d’Asti 2022 (100% Barbera, Piemonte, Italy): wonderful pairing
