Smashed Sauteed Cauliflower with Pangrattato (Breadcrumbs)
Smashed Sauteed Cauliflower is a unique recipe combining a few different cooking techniques that create the most delicious dish! Tender cauliflower is smashed gently with golden and sweet caramelized onions and garlic then topped with a crunchy, toasted pangrattato breadcrumb mixture made with lemon, herbs and pecorino cheese. A taste and texture sensation!
Servings: 4 servings
Equipment
- Cheese grater (optional)
- Large Skillet (or Dutch Oven)
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower (about 2½ pounds whole or about 1¾ pounds florets)
- Salt for boiling water
- 2 Tbsp butter (can use extra virgin olive oil or garlic oil)
- 1 large yellow or Spanish onion, thin julienne slice (roughly 3 cups sliced)
- 2 Tbsp chopped garlic
- ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- To taste salt and black pepper
For the Pecorino Lemon Herb Pangrattato (Breadcrumbs):
- 1½ Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ⅓ cup plain fine breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- 2 Tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
- Zest of one lemon
- ¼ tsp salt
- Pinch black pepper
Instructions
- Gather all ingredients according to specifications above. Then cut the cauliflower down into florets that or more-or-less the same size. Start by pulling off the leaves and cutting the cauliflower into quarters, from the top of the crown through the stem. Then, just lay the quarters on the cutting board and remove the florets from the core with angled knife cuts. Discard the thick core.(Please see the section above in the blog post for Step-By-Step instructions with photos.)1 head cauliflower
- Next, make the lemon pecorino herb breadcrumbs (pangrattato). Heat oil in small skillet over medium-low heat. Then, add the breadcrumbs, cheese, parsley, lemon zest, salt and black pepper and cook until breadcrumbs are toasted, about 2 to 3 minutes, stirring continuously. Remove from heat and set aside, uncovered, at room temperature.1½ Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, ⅓ cup plain fine breadcrumbs, ¼ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese, 2 Tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley, Zest of one lemon, ¼ tsp salt, Pinch black pepper
- Put a large pot of water on to boil. Meanwhile, start caramelizing the onions and garlic. Melt butter in a large sauté pan over medium-low heat then add the onions, garlic and crushed red pepper flakes.First, sweat the onions a bit by covering the pan to keep the onions moist and slow the browning (2 to 3 minutes). Stir once or twice during this process.2 Tbsp butter, 1 large yellow or Spanish onion,, 2 Tbsp chopped garlic, ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- Then, once the onions are soft and translucent, uncover the pan and increase the heat to medium. Continue cooking until the onions on the bottom of the pan start to brown. Add a sprinkle of water to moisten and loosen the onions and deglaze the pan if the onions begin to look dry and/or stick to the pan. Lower the heat and continue to cook slowly, stirring occasionally until the onions are limp and have turned a medium golden brown. Note that the caramelization process will take a bit of time (about 15 minutes), but the result is worth it! (See Frequently Asked Questions above for more on caramelization.)
- When the water comes to a boil, add a good pinch of salt then the cauliflower florets and stir. Cook for a few minutes until the cauliflower is soft enough to mash with a fork. You can test this by squeezing a floret with tongs while it’s still in the pot.
- Once it’s tender, drain the cooked cauliflower completely in a colander.
- Then, transfer drained cauliflower to the caramelized onion mixture and mix. Increase the heat to brown the cauliflower a bit (2 to 3 minutes), while gently smashing and breaking it down into big chunks. I like to use a potato masher for this, but a large fork will do. Note that you are not completely mashing the cauliflower but rather “smashing” it a bit to break down big floret chunks. Having said this, leave the mixture as chunky as you prefer.
- Be sure to mix until the cauliflower and caramelized onion mixture are well combined. At this point, season to taste with salt and ground black pepper.
- Transfer to a serving platter or bowl, top with a healthy amount of the lemon herb breadcrumbs and put the remainder breadcrumbs in a small bowl to be passed around the table. Note that you can mix some of the breadcrumbs into the cauliflower itself for a heartier texture. Serve immediately. Buon Appetito!
Video
Notes
- You can easily double this recipe (and I usually do).
- You can make the breadcrumb topping 3 to 4 hours in advance and hold it, uncovered, at room temperature.
- To save time when cooking, store the prepped cauliflower florets in an airtight container or bag in the fridge for 2 to 3 days prior to cooking it.
- Store cauliflower heads in the crisper section of your refrigerator for up to five days after purchasing it.
- Caramelizing the onions is key and makes a world of difference to this recipe. Take the time to do it. See Frequently Asked Questions above for more about this process.
- You can actually make this smashed cauliflower recipe exactly the same with broccoli! Also, parmesan cheese can be used in place of pecorino cheese in the bread crumbs recipe.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to three days. Reheat in a skillet with a small amount of water until heated through.
- And, by the way, leftovers are EXCELLENT tossed with some cooked pasta and topped with more pecorino cheese and some olio santo chili oil!
