Cauliflower Pasta Bake

Cauliflower is having a moment now that someone figured out how to rice the vegetable, but I still like to eat it in a more naturally occurring state.

I came across this Ina Garten recipe and thought my kids would like it. Pasta, cheese and a bread crumb topping sounded like a kid-friendly dinner to me. Read on for their honest reactions:

Son #1: "If you're going to make pasta, why don't you use tomato sauce?"

Son #2: "Why couldn't you have made baked ziti?"

Well, too bad for my boys. My husband and I loved this dish, which can serve a crowd or a family of 4 for a few days. Another plus? You can prep this in advance and bake it when you are ready.

Hope you like it as much as I did!

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Cauliflower Pasta Bake

1 pound medium pasta shells
Olive oil
Large head cauliflower, cut into small florets
4 tablespoons sage leaves, chopped
2 1/2 tablespoons drained capers
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
Zest from 1 medium lemon
2 1/2 cups freshly grated fontina cheese (about a 13 ounce piece with rind)
1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
3/4 quarter cup panic bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves, minced
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a large rectangular baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.

Heat a large pot of water to boiling. Cook pasta until al dente, according to package directions. Drain and put into large bowl.

Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet. Saute cauliflower (in batches, adding more oil as needed) in a single layer until lightly browned. Transfer to bowl with pasta.

Add the sage, capers, garlic, salt and pepper to the bowl with all of the cooked cauliflower and pasta.

Mix together. Add grated fontina cheese and stir to combine.

Place half of the pasta mixture in the baking pan. Top with dollops of ricotta cheese. Place remaining pasta on top.

If you are preparing this ahead time, let cool, then cover with foil and refrigerate.

Before baking:

In a small bowl, stir together panko, parmesan, parsley and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sprinkle on top of the pasta. Bake for about 30 minutes, until browned and crunchy on top. Serve hot.