We aren’t huge pasta eaters but sometimes it sounds so delicious! I had been paging through a copy of Rachel Ray’s magazine and was inspired by her version of Cacio e Pepe. A fancy way to say with pepper. If you are a big fan of cracked black pepper this is the perfect recipe for you.
Hot thick noodles that get covered in a sauce made of a bit of pasta water, cheese and tons of pepper. The addition of roasted cauliflower just make it even better. Perfect for Meatless Monday and incredibly delicious. Sometimes you just want a bowl of cheesy, carb loaded goodness.
This is best served piping hot, with the melted cheese making a sauce, steaming cauliflower and another few grinds of pepper. It’s hard not to eat 3 bowls of this!
- 1 medium head cauliflower, broken into small florets (5 cups)
- 1 tbsp dried rosemary,
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt
- 1 pound dried bucatini or spaghetti or 12 oz. fresh egg tagliatelle
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 1 rounded tbsp. coarsely ground black pepper
- ⅛ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano
- ¾ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees . In a large bowl, toss the cauliflower with the rosemary and EVOO; season with salt. Spread the cauliflower on a rimmed baking sheet and roast, turning once, until tender and beginning to brown, 18 to 20 minutes.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Salt the water, add the pasta, and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Reserve 1 cup starchy cooking water; drain.
- In a large skillet, melt 3 tbsp. butter over medium-low. Add the black pepper and swirl 1 minute. Add the reserved cup pasta water; simmer. Add the remaining 3 tbsp. butter and the pasta; remove from the heat. Toss, adding the cheese a few handfuls at a time, until a sauce forms and coats the pasta evenly. Add the roasted cauliflower; season.
