SRC: Homemade Spaghetti with Spicy Cauliflower Sauce

After a {much needed} break in January, SRC is back!  With the craziness of December, I definitely needed the break!  But once everything slowed down again, I was so happy for a reason to get back to cooking yummy meals!

This month, I was assigned Melissa’s blog, Smells Like Brownies.  Now, you’d think that I’d pick one of her amazing desserts with a name like Smells Like Brownies, but after the glut of the holidays, I decided to make a yummy vegetarian pasta dish (oh and it would be so so easy to make this vegan – just omit that little bit of parm!)

I actually ended up making two of Melissa’s recipes, since homemade whole wheat pasta and the pasta sauce go hand in hand.  Plus it had been about a year {maybe more?} since I went to war with used my pasta machine {the machine works great, it’s just the clamp – it’s terrible!)

But I digress with a quick note about whole wheat pastas in general…

Some people {me} are so used to whole grains that whole wheat pastas can be used interchangeably with regular pasta in recipes.  However, others {picky eaters  those with more discerning palates} can find the whole wheat pastas a little intense.  The way to deal with this is to pair those whole wheat pastas with spicy or robust sauces, like this Spicy Cauliflower Sauce. 

When I made this, it was quite spicy {perfect for me & Hubs, a bit too spicy for Dude & Spud}, so be sure to adjust the amount of crushed red pepper according to taste {I’d start at ½ teaspoon if you are sensitive to spice}.

Oh, I also switched up the method for this recipe slightly – I was running late, so I roasted the cauliflower, but to sauté, check out the original recipe.

Thank you so much, Melissa for a new favorite pasta AND healthy sauce recipe!  We have a new favorite Meatless Monday dish!

Spaghetti with Spicy Cauliflower Sauce

Adapted from Smells Like Brownies

2 tbsp butter

1 medium onion, diced

1-2 tbsp olive oil

1 head cauliflower, cut into small florets

6 cloves garlic, minced

Salt & pepper

1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes

1 – 1 ½ tsp crushed red pepper

1 tsp dried basil (or 1 tbsp fresh)

2 tbsp fresh parsley, minced

¼ cup parmesan cheese

1 lb whole wheat spaghetti (recipe below)

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the onions and stir to coat.  Lower the heat to medium-low and continue to cook the onions, stirring occasionally, until caramelized (deep amber in color).  This will take 10-20 minutes, depending on the level of caramelizing desired.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place the cauliflower and garlic on the baking sheet.  Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until tender and beginning to brown, stirring once half way through.

Once the onions are caramelized, stir in the tomatoes, crushed red pepper, and basil.  Cook for 3-5 minutes, then stir in the cauliflower mixture, parsley and parmesan.

Serve immediately over freshly made whole wheat pasta.

Serves 4-6

Whole Wheat Spaghetti

Recipe from Smells Like Brownies

1 ½ cups whole wheat flour

½ cup all purpose flour

Pinch of salt

3 eggs, beaten

2-4 tsp water

Place the flours and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade.  Pulse several times to mix.

While the food processor is running, pour the eggs into the food processor in a steady stream, processing until well combined, about 30 seconds.

Again, while the food processor is running, slowly add the water until the dough holds together.

Remove the dough from the food processor and knead for 2-3 minutes until the dough is smooth.  The dough will be stiff and not sticky. 

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest on the counter for 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours.

After resting, run the dough through a pasta machine according to machine instructions (I rolled mine to a 3 on my machine and then through the spaghetti cutter.) 

To cook the spaghetti, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil and cook for 3 minutes.  Drain and serve immediately.