Fresh Cavatelli/cauliflower/almonds & Toasted Bread Crumbs

Total Time: 40 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for the pasta pot
• 6 ounces day- old country bread (6 ounces)
• 7 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 4 plump garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, to taste (just go slowly)
• 1 lb head cauliflower, cut in small florets
• 1 1/2 lbs fresh cavatelli pasta or 1 lb dry pasta
• 1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted and coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh italian parsley

Recipe

• 1 fill the large pot with salted water (at least 6 quarts water with 1 tablespoon salt), and heat to a boil.
• 2 grate the bread chunk on the coarse holes of a box grater into a mixing bowl; you should have about 2 cups of fluffy crumbs.
• 3 pour 5 tablespoons of the olive oil into the skillet, set it over medium-high heat, and scatter in the sliced garlic and peperoncino & let them sizzle for a minute or so, then dump in the bread crumbs, and stir to moisten them with the oil.
• 4 toast the crumbs for about 5 minutes, tossing them and shaking the pan almost continuously, until they’re golden and crisp; adjust the heat so neither the bread crumbs nor the garlic gets too dark.
• 5 turn off the heat, and pour the toasted crumbs and garlic into the serving bowl.
• 6 meanwhile, start cooking the cauliflower and cavatelli.
• 7 with the cooking water at a rolling boil, drop in the cauliflower florets, and cook them for about 3 minutes, until barely tender.
• 8 drop in the cavatelli, stir, and return the water quickly to a boil.
• 9 cook another 4 to 5 minutes, until the cauliflower is fully tender and the pasta is al dente.
• 10 quickly drain them (you can empty the pot into a colander) and spill the pasta and florets on top of the bread crumbs in the bowl.
• 11 sprinkle the almonds, parsley, and salt,over the bowl and toss everything together well, until the crumbs and almonds are evenly distributed and coat the pasta and cauliflower florets.
• 12 drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil all over, and toss again.
• 13 serve immediately, right from the bowl.