I used to live in Philadelphia and while I absolutely adore
Boston, I often times find myself missing Philly and the life that I had there.
Because the life that I had there consisted of me constantly wining and dining
myself. I spent more money than I’m willing to admit on the incredible restaurant
scene. I finally had to grow up, face the music and realize I did NOT have this
type of disposable income - which is one of the many reasons I cook more now!
One of the chefs that I loved in Philadelphia was Marc
Vetri. While I couldn’t even entertain the idea of dining at his signature restaurant
“Vetri” (one of the most expensive in the city), I did spend my 25th
birthday at one of this other restaurants called Amis. I still think about the meal that I had
that night to this day. So I was delighted when I stumbled across one of
his pasta recipes in Food & Wine Magazine. The dish is Bucatini
with Cauliflower and Brussels Sprouts and it has become a staple in our
house. I recently served it to my sister and brother-in-law and although my
brother-in-law doesn’t typically eat brussels sprouts (there are few people in
this world that do), he seemed to really enjoy this one! As I do with all of my recipes, I tweaked this
to my liking. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
12 ounces bucatini
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 pound cauliflower florets, cut in 1-inch piece
1/2 pound brussels sprouts, halved or quartered if large
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving
12 ounces bucatini
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 pound cauliflower florets, cut in 1-inch piece
1/2 pound brussels sprouts, halved or quartered if large
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving
Serves 4.
Directions:
1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water.
1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water.
2. Meanwhile, in a large, deep skillet, heat 1/4 cup of the
oil. Add the cauliflower and brussels sprouts and season with salt and black
pepper; cover and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until
lightly charred and crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.
3. Add 1/4 cup of oil to the skillet along with the onion,
garlic, crushed red pepper; cook, stirring, until the onion is slightly
softened, about 3 minutes. Cover and cook over low heat until the cauliflower
and sprouts are tender.
4. In a small skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of
olive oil. Add the bread crumbs and cook over moderately high heat, stirring
constantly or they will burn, until golden and crisp, about 4 minutes. Season
with salt and transfer to a bowl.
5. Add the pasta and reserved cooking water to the
vegetables and cook over moderate heat, tossing, until the water is nearly
absorbed. Remove from the heat and stir in the 1/2 cup of grated cheese. Top with bread crumbs!
