Serves 4
½ large cauliflower
1 onion
2 cloves of garlic
½ small bunch of parsley
2 tbsp ‘nduja (or veggie alternative - the Belazu one is gorg)
2 tbsp creme fraiche
50g pecorino
½ lemon
350g dried pasta
salt, pepper and olive oil
Heat your oven to 180°C.
Cut your cauliflower florets and stalks into even sized pieces. Put them in a baking tray, and drizzle them with 2 tbsp of olive oil. Roast your cauliflower for 30 minutes, tossing part way through so it gets evenly caramelised.
Finely slice your onion. Heat a small saucepan over a medium heat with 3 tbsp olive oil, then add your onion. Cook it for 20 minutes until softened, adding a splash of water occasionally if it looks like it is sticking. Finely chop your garlic whilst it cooks, as well as your parsley.
Add your ‘nduja and finely chopped garlic to the pan, then cook for 2 minutes until the fat has rendered out of the ‘nduja.
Add your cauliflower and ‘nduja-y onions to a blender, along with your creme fraiche and a couple of tbsp of water. Whizz it to a puree, adding more water if you need to make it smooth.
Bring a large pan of water to a boil, then season it generously with salt. Add your pasta, and cook it until it is al dente.
Add your cauliflower sauce to a saute pan, and grate in your pecorino and lemon zest. When your pasta is cooked, add a splash of the cooking water to your sauce, then lift in the pasta with a slotted spoon. Mix it to combine, adding more pasta water if needed to get each pasta totally coated in glossy sauce.
Squeeze in your lemon juice and add your chopped parsley. Spoon it onto plates and serve it up, with a little more pecorino and parsley if you like.