Roasted Cauliflower with Lemon, Anchovies and Bread Crumbs (Cavolfiore al Forno con Limone, Alici e Pane Grattugiato)
In Food of the Italian Islands, from which this recipe is adapted, author Katie Parla calls this dish “the ultimate island winter pantry vegetable dish.” We’re all in! Though she cannot pinpoint the particular island where it’s traditional, she has been served it “in some form or another” from Ponza to Pantelleria. Cutting the cauliflower into “steaks” is her own innovation; that’s decidedly not Italian.
It’s insanely delicious.
Parla’s recipe uses quite a bit more olive oil than our adaptation (8 tablespoons to our 5). If you have a mortar and pestle, use them to mash the anchovies with the other ingredients in step 2; it’s a bit easier.
We tested the recipe using Pecorino Romano cheese.
Serves 2.
Ingredients
1 medium head cauliflower, cut from crown to stem into 1/2-inch (2.5 cm)-thick “steaks”
Sea salt
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
6 salted anchovy fillets, rinsed
1/4 cup / 28 grams coarse plain bread crumbs
1/4 cup / 12 grams finely grated caciocavallo or Pecorino Romano cheese
Juice and zest of 1/2 lemon (combined)
Leaves from 2 or 3 sprigs of mint, torn
Instructions
1. Heat the oven to 425 F / 218 C. Line a sheet pan with parchment, and place the cauliflower steaks on it. If any of the steaks fall apart, don’t fret; just piece them back together the best you can. Drizzle lightly with salt and 1 1/2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Flip the steaks and repeat. Roast until the cauliflower begins to take color, about 30 minutes, then remove from the oven. (Don’t turn off the oven.)
2. Meanwhile, in a mortar (if you have one) or small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of the olive oil with the garlic, red pepper flakes and anchovies and mash into a rough paste with a pestle (if you have one) or a fork. Spread the paste over the cauliflower. In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs and the cheese, and sprinkle the mixture evenly over the cauliflower. Return the sheet pan to the oven and roast until the cauliflower until it is beginning to char and brown, another 5 or 10 minutes more, then remove from the oven.
3. Use a spatula to transfer the cauliflower steaks to a serving plate. Drizzle the lemon juice and zest over the cauliflower, xcatter the mint over all and serve.
Roasted Cauliflower with Lemon, Anchovies and Bread Crumbs
Ingredients
- 1 medium head cauliflower, cut from crown to stem into 1/2-inch (2.5 cm)-thick “steaks”
- Sea salt
- 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 6 salted anchovy fillets, rinsed
- 1/4 cup / 28 grams coarse plain bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup / 12 grams finely grated caciocavallo or Pecorino Romano cheese
- Juice and zest of 1/2 lemon (combined)
- Leaves from 2 or 3 sprigs of mint, torn
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 425 F / 218 C. Line a sheet pan with parchment, and place the cauliflower steaks on it. If any of the steaks fall apart, don’t fret; just piece them back together the best you can. Drizzle lightly with salt and 1 1/2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Flip the steaks and repeat. Roast until the cauliflower begins to take color, about 30 minutes, then remove from the oven. (Don’t turn off the oven.)
- Meanwhile, in a mortar (if you have one) or small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of the olive oil with the garlic, red pepper flakes and anchovies and mash into a rough paste with a pestle (if you have one) or a fork. Spread the paste over the cauliflower. In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs and the cheese, and sprinkle the mixture evenly over the cauliflower. Return the sheet pan to the oven and roast until the cauliflower until it is beginning to char and brown, another 5 or 10 minutes more, then remove from the oven.
- Use a spatula to transfer the cauliflower steaks to a serving plate. Drizzle the lemon juice and zest over the cauliflower, xcatter the mint over all and serve.
