Rigatoni And Cauliflower Al Forno

Rigatoni And Cauliflower Al Forno

Ingredients:
1 pound rigatoni or other large pasta shape
1 medium cauliflower, about 1 1/2 pounds
Extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon capers, roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or more to taste
3 tablespoons roughly chopped sage, plus a few sage leaves left whole
½ teaspoon lemon zest
6 ounces coarsely grated fontina or mozzarella
2 ounces finely grated Romano cheese or other hard pecorino
½ cup coarse dry bread crumbs
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

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Directions:
Cook the rigatoni in well-salted water according to package directions, but drain while still quite al dente. (If directions call for 12 minutes cooking, cook for 10 instead.) Rinse pasta with cool water, then drain again and set aside.
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Cut cauliflower in half from top to bottom. Cut out tough core and stem any extraneous leaves. Lay cauliflower flat side down and cut crosswise into rough 1/4-inch slices. Break into smaller pieces.
Put 3 tablespoons olive oil in a wide skillet over high heat. Add cauliflower slices, along with any crumbly pieces, in one layer. (Work in batches if necessary.) Let cauliflower brown and caramelize for about 2 minutes, then turn pieces over to brown the other side. Cook for another 2 minutes, or until the cauliflower is easily pierced with a fork. It’s fine if some pieces don’t brown evenly. Season generously with salt and pepper. Add capers, garlic, red pepper flakes, chopped sage, sage leaves and lemon zest and stir to coat.
Put cooked cauliflower mixture in a large mixing bowl. Add cooked rigatoni and fontina and toss. Transfer mixture to a lightly oiled baking dish. Top with Romano cheese, then with bread crumbs and drizzle with about 1 tablespoon olive oil. (Dish may be completed to this point up to several hours in advance and kept at room temperature, covered.)
Bake, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, until top is crisp and golden. Sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley before serving.
Tip
And to Drink ... Cauliflower, garlic and the rest of the ingredients in this dish collectively cry out for a dry, citrusy white wine with plenty of lively acidity. Where you look depends on your mood. I’ve been in a Sicilian mood myself, so I would reach for a savory white from Mount Etna, made primarily from the carricante grape, or other good southern Italian whites like falanghinas or fianos from Campania. More options? If you want to get esoteric, perhaps a so-called orange wine from northeastern Italy, actually a white made nutty and amber-orange by prolonged contact with the grape skins; a ribolla gialla from Friuli-Venezia Giulia or, if you can find one, a vespaiolo from Veneto. Beyond Italy, a crisp sauvignon blanc, a Chablis, an aged Muscadet or even a good Champagne. As long as the wine is dry and lively, it should go well. ERIC ASIMOV