cauliflower with toasted breadcrumb sauce

We are going old school today. Old school Italian, that is.

My lovely Aunt C gave me the most beautiful book on Italian cuisine. It is over 200 pages of gorgeous pictures of the Italian countryside and the dishes that are unique to them. I actually use it as a coffee table book. Anyway, I digress…

Most people don’t think of vegetables when they think of Italy. They think of cheese and pasta and tomatoes. But in reality, when you go to Italy, if you stay away from the big cities and eat in the countryside, you’ll find that most of your meal consists of different types of veggies. In the country, the people aren’t as wealthy so you get dishes that are more humble. Don’t let that fool you; these dishes are packed with flavor and the way these Italians achieve this flavor is awesome.

Grinding up leftover stale bread into fluffy fresh breadcrumbs.

Taking the unassuming anchovy and concentrating the flavor.

Mincing a ton of cheap garlic and melting it into butter.

Plain boiled cauliflower turns into something absolutely extraordinary when you have just a few ingredients that make the flavors pop.

Transport yourself to the Italian countryside and stay awhile. You won’t regret it.

Cauliflower with Toasted Breadcrumb Sauce

Adapted from Italy: The Beautiful Cookbook.

2 big servings.

We didn’t even divide the head into servings! We just stuck it in the middle of the table and dug in with forks :)

1 head of cauliflower, trimmed of all green leaves

¼ cup olive oil

3 tablespoons butter

4 cloves of garlic, minced

6 anchovy filets, mashed

¼ cup fresh breadcrumbs

Bring a big pot of water to a boil. Season liberally with salt. Lower to about medium high and add cauliflower. Cook until just done – crisp tender. Set aside and keep warm.

Meanwhile, melt butter and olive oil together over medium heat. Add garlic, anchovies and breadcrumbs. Cook for about 3 minutes or until garlic is getting toasty.

Pour sauce over cauliflower and dribble down the sides. Enjoy!