
Cauliflower, 1 lemon, 2 slices of bread, pasta, and a handful of utensils. It’s truly amazing how something so good can come out of so few simple ingredients. The crowning glory of these cauliflower pastas is pan gratato (aka magic toasted breadcrumbs).
I didn’t understand Meatless Mondays.If you’re grocery shopping over the weekend, doesn’t it make sense to cook fresh meat earlier in the week (i.e. Mondays)? ?

I think normal people try to start the week healthily by not eating meat on Mondays…not me. I usually do the opposite. Fresh protein the first half of the week, vegetarian/pantry meals the second half!
So I’m not going to share this on Monday to fill in on Meatless Monday. I’m one of those people who can’t resist a bargain so I’m sharing this.A huge beautiful cauliflower head for $1.49 I bought three of them when they were on sale at three.
Yes, that’s how I do it. Think I planned the recipe I posted with military precision? Too bad this bubble has to burst! Despite our best efforts, we cannot stick to a recipe release schedule. I go to the store with a list of things I want to make, but I’m curious about the fresh food they sell! Like a lamb shank. That’s why I shared my recipe for lamb shanks – they were 30% off!
I don’t think people ordinarily associate cauliflower with pasta, but can I tell you – it goes SO WELL! When cauliflower is roasted or browned in a skillet, it gets a slightly nutty flavour. About as different as you can get to bland, boiled cauliflower!
But the crowning glory of this pasta has to be the pangrattato. “Pangrattato” is known as the “poor man’s parmesan” in Italy and was invented as an economical substitute for parmesan. It’s just small chunky bits of bread, either toasted of pan fried with olive oil and seasoned with salt.
Anything you sprinkle it on – WOW! Salty bursts of crunchy, golden bread, it really can elevate the most ordinary of things into something seriously delicious! I sprinkle it on pasta, gratins and bakes, roasted vegetables (try this Roasted Broccoli with Pangrattato!) and it’s fantastic sprinkled on salads too!
Cauliflower pan fried until golden in garlicky butter tossed through pasta with lemon and chili, topped with crunchy salty pangrattato. This is no meat for carnivores!