Pasta with Cauliflower, Sausage and Pecorino-Herb Breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup garlic cloves
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, to taste
- 1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- 1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1/2 head cauliflower, cut into small florets
- 1/2 pound Italian sausage links, casings removed
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1/2 large yellow onion, very thinly sliced
- 1/2 pound dried whole wheat penne or fusilli pasta
- 1/4 cup black oil-cured olives, pitted and roughly chopped
- 1/3 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, to taste
Combine garlic with 1/4 cup of the oil in a small pot and cook slowly over very low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 20 to 30 minutes.
Remove from heat and set garlic-infused oil aside.
Heat remaining 1/4 cup oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
Add breadcrumbs, salt and pepper, stir well, then add 1/4 cup of the cheese and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
Remove from heat. Stir in 1/4 cup of the parsley and set aside.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Add cauliflower and cook until very tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium high heat.
Add sausage and cook, breaking it into chunks with a spoon, until just starting to brown.
Add 1/2 cup of the wine and cook until browned and cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer sausage to a large plate; set aside. Add about 1 tablespoon of the garlic-infused oil and onions to the skillet.
Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
Add remaining 1/2 cup wine, salt and pepper.
Cook until wine has evaporated and onions are very soft and light brown.
Add cauliflower, garlic and 1 tablespoon of the garlic-infused oil and smash together with a large fork.
Stir in sausage, salt and pepper, then keep warm.
Cook pasta in a large pot of salted water until just al dente, about 10 minutes.
Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain pasta well and transfer to skillet with cauliflower.
Add olives, tomatoes and some of the reserved pasta water if mixture seems dry.
Stir in 3 tablespoons of the cheese, 3 tablespoons of the parsley and one-third of the toasted breadcrumbs, then transfer to a serving dish.
Top with half of the remaining breadcrumbs and the remaining 1 tablespoon cheese and 1 tablespoon parsley.
Serve remaining breadcrumbs in a small bowl on the side for your guests to sprinkle over the top.
See our Terms of Service.
- 1/4 cup garlic cloves
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, to taste
- 1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- 1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1/2 head cauliflower, cut into small florets
- 1/2 pound Italian sausage links, casings removed
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1/2 large yellow onion, very thinly sliced
- 1/2 pound dried whole wheat penne or fusilli pasta
- 1/4 cup black oil-cured olives, pitted and roughly chopped
- 1/3 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, to taste