Spaghettini with Roasted Cauliflower + Pancetta

A bowl of spaghettini with roasted cauliflower topped with breadcrumbs.

Spaghettini with Roasted Cauliflower + Pancetta

Sip + Sanity | Linda Feller

Spaghettini with Roasted Cauliflower + Pancetta is the epitome of simple ingredients coming together to create an incredibly satisfying pasta dish full of flavor, textures, and comfort!

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Main Course

American, Italian

people

912 kcal

Equipment

Sheet pan
small nonstick skillet
large pot

Ingredients

1 head cauliflower (about 1.25-1.5 lbs), cut into florets
1 large red onion, cut into wedges
3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt + fresh cracked black pepper
6 sprigs thyme
12 ounce thin spaghetti, I use De Cecco, No. 11
1 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Base, reduced sodium variety
4 ounce pancetta, diced
½ cup Panko breadcrumbs
3 tablespoon pine nuts
1 lemon, zested
6 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, decrease for less heat
⅓ cup Italian parsley, chopped (measure after chopping)
½ cup Parmigiano Reggiano, freshly grated

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 425°F.
On a sheet pan, toss together the cauliflower, onions and thyme with 3 tbsp of olive oil, 3/4 tsp of kosher salt and some fresh cracked black pepper. Roast for 35 minutes, tossing it halfway through. Once done, discard any woody thyme stems.
In a small nonstick skillet over medium heat, add a little drizzle of olive oil and the diced Pancetta. Cook until crisp, about 5 minutes, then remove with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Reserve about 1-1/2 tbsp of fat in the pan.
Add the breadcrumbs and pine nuts to the pancetta fat and toast until the crumbs are golden brown and crispy, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir occasionally for even cooking. At the end, stir in the lemon zest, then remove the mixture to a bowl.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta for 7 to 9 minutes (7 for al dente). Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water (just dip a measuring cup into the pasta pot) before draining the pasta in a colander. Stir the Better than Bouillon into the reserved pasta water and set aside.
Return the pasta pot to medium heat and allow the water to evaporate. Add 6 tbsp of olive oil, garlic and crushed red pepper to the pot and cook for about 1 minute; it's okay for the garlic to get a little color, but you don't want it to burn. Toss in the chopped parsley; be careful as it might sputter and pop.
Return the pasta to the pot along with the roasted vegetables, pancetta, and grated Parmigiano. Toss everything together, adding enough reserved pasta water to create a light sauce (add as much or as little as you like, I add the entire cupful).
Divide the pasta between serving bowls and garnish each with the breadcrumb mixture. If you like, have some extra crushed red pepper and grated parm to pass around.

Notes

This recipe feeds four really hungry people. I think you can stretch this to 5 or even 6 servings, served with a green salad on the side.

Nutrition

oven, pasta, stove top

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