Cauliflower & Sausage Pasta

I know. Even reading the title sounds odd. Cauliflower and sausage? Pasta?

A few nights ago, Chris and I were in the mood to stray from our usual recipes and try something new. The only problem was that we had a whole head of cauliflower we needed to somehow work in. We thought maybe we'd make a pasta with red sauce and veggies, but upon a quick look in the pantry, we didn't have any canned tomatoes. So, turning to the cooking bible, How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman, there is a whole section of using vegetables other than tomatoes to make pasta sauce. And lo and behold, one of them was for cauliflower pasta!


Cauliflower & Sausage Pasta
adapted from How to Cook Everything

1/2 head cauliflower
1+1 tbs olive oil
1 cup chicken stock
3-4 cloves minced garlic
Red pepper flakes
2 Spicy Italian Sausages, removed from the case
Italian seasoning
1/4-1/2 cup red wine
1/4-1/2 cup water
Salt & Pepper, as desired


Cut the cauliflower to save the florets. Discard the stalks.



Put a large pot of water on the stove to boil for the pasta.

Heat 1 tbs of oil in a large pan and toss in the cauliflower. Keep it moving for 1-2 minutes, add 1 cup chicken stock, and turn down the heat to maintain a simmer. Cook until the cauliflower is soft and tender but not mushy. Remove the cauliflower and cooking liquid and set aside.

Add remaining 1 tbs of oil to the pan, heat, and toss in garlic and red pepper flakes. Stir frequently until garlic begins to turn golden. Add de-cased sausage meat, and cook until the meat is fully cooked.

Add the cauliflower and liquid back into the pan, and add italian seasoning and red wine and water. If you don't have red wine, use more chicken stock.



Cook all components together, and as the cauliflower continues to soften, mash with a fork or potato masher.

Toss with cooked pasta, serve with a glass of wine.