Rigatoni with Cauliflower Sauce and Toasted Garlic Breadcrumbs

Rigatoni with Cauliflower Sauce and
Toasted Garlic Breadcrumbs

I tried this recipe last week.  It made a nice meal that was almost meatless if you don't count the Italian bacon or Pancetta which is technically meat.  This recipe comes from Rachael Ray.  Generally, I think her recipes are a bit complicated for the outcome but this one was pretty good.   It got my family to eat cauliflower which is a good thing.   

Rigatoni with Cauliflower Sauce and Toasted Garlic Breadcrumbs

Ingredients:

For the Breadcrumbs:

·         2 tablespoons EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil

·         4 tablespoons butter 

·         6 cloves garlic, minced

·         1 cup breadcrumbs, Panko or homemade (coarse ground)

·         1/3 to 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley tops, finely chopped

·         1/3 to 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

For the Cauliflower Sauce:

·         2 tablespoons EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil

·         1/4 pound pancetta, guanciale* or bacon, chopped

·         1 onion, chopped

·         2 to 3 cloves garlic, chopped

·         2 tablespoons rosemary, finely chopped

·         2 tablespoons thyme, finely chopped

·         1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

·         3 tablespoons chopped golden raisins

·         1/2 cup dry white wine

·         1/2 cup chicken stock

·         1 head cauliflower, root and core cut away from head with sharp paring knife

·         Salt and pepper

·         1 pound rigatoni

·         3 tablespoons butter

Yields: 4-6

Preparation:

For the breadcrumbs, heat EVOO and butter over medium heat, melting butter into oil. Add garlic and stir 1-2 minutes. Add breadcrumbs and stir until very fragrant and deeply golden in color. Remove breadcrumbs from heat and cool; toss with parsley and cheese.

For the sauce, heat EVOO, a couple of turns of the pan, over medium-high heat in a Dutch oven. Add pancetta, guanciale or bacon and stir until rendered and crispy, 3-4 minutes. Add onions, garlic, rosemary, thyme, red pepper flakes and raisins, and stir to soften 3-5 minutes. Add white wine and stock, set cauliflower into pot, season with salt and pepper, and cover. Cook 15-20 minutes until very tender then mash up into small pieces with wooden spoon or potato masher.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to boil for pasta. Salt water and cook pasta to al dente. Add a cup of starchy water from pasta to sauce just before draining.

Along with starchy water, stir butter into cauliflower sauce. Combine with pasta and adjust seasoning. Serve in shallow bowls topped with garlic breadcrumbs. 

*Guanciale (Italian pronunciation: [ɡwanˈtʃaːle]) is an unsmoked Italian bacon prepared with pig's jowl or cheeks. Its name is derived from guancia, Italian for cheek. Guanciale is similar to the jowl bacon of the United States.   This definitionis from www.wikipedia.org.