For this baked pasta recipe, sweet, roasted cauliflower and onions are paired with salty Parmesan and buttery Gouda and topped with a crispy Ritz cracker crust. It can be served as a simple vegetarian dinner or as a side dish for roast chicken or grilled steak. To start, roast the cauliflower and onions together in a hot oven. Cut the cauliflower in slices rather than in small pieces. Not only will you save on initial prep time, but you’ll end up with much better caramelization with good crispy bits. While they are busy becoming golden and tender, you have time grate the cheeses and cook the pasta. There are plenty of pasta shapes to choose from to suit your mood or what is in the cupboard. Ziti, penne rigate, shells, rotini, or my favorite, pipe rigate (little pipes!) are all good choices. Be sure to cook the pasta until al dente (firm to the bite, not soft) since the pasta will continue to bake in the oven and if cooked until soft first, will become mushy as it bakes. I recently learned a great trick: Toss hot pasta in Parmesan as soon as you drain it. The hot pasta melts the Parmesan and absorbs all that cheesy goodness. Toss the cheesy pasta in a baking dish with the roasted vegetables and even more cheese, sprinkle everything with a crispy Ritz cracker topping, and put it all back in the oven to bake until hot.
1 large head cauliflower 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 medium yellow onion 3/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/2 pound pasta, such as shells, pipe rigate, or rigatoni 1/2 cup (1 1/2 ounces) finely grated Parmesan 1 cup milk, whole or 2% Zest from 1 lemon (about 1 tablespoon zest) 2 tablespoons chopped thyme leaves 3 cups (8 ounces) grated Gouda
For the cracker topping:
14 (1 small sleeve) Ritz crackers or similar buttery crackers 2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan 2 tablespoons melted butter 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Spread the cauliflower slices and any florets that have fallen off on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the oil. Using your hands, rub the oil into the cauliflower, coating both sides. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Roughly chop the onion. On a second baking sheet or in an ovenproof skillet, toss the onions with the remaining 1 tablespoon of the oil and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt. (Roasting the cauliflower and onions on separate pans will give them more space and help them roast better.) Let the vegetables cool slightly in their pans. Break the cauliflower into smaller florets. Drain the pasta in a colander. Add the roasted cauliflower and onion, lemon zest, thyme and Gouda, and stir well. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if you like. If the mixture seems dry, add a little pasta cooking water, a tablespoon at a time. Transfer to a 3- or 4-quart baking dish. In a bowl, mix the crushed crackers with 2 tablespoons Parmesan, the melted butter and parsley. Sprinkle this evenly over the pasta.
