Ingredients (~6 servings)
- 6 slices bacon
- 1/2 head cauliflower, cut into florets
- 1/4 cup olive oil (divided: 2 Tbsp + 2 Tbsp)
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1 Tbsp anchovy paste
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
- 1 1/2 bunches kale, stems removed and leaves minced
- 2 Meyer lemons, zested and juiced
- 3 Tbsp minced Italian parsley
- 3/4 cup pasta water (reserved)
- 6 Tbsp grated Parmesan (plus more for serving)
- 1 1/2 lbs bucatini pasta
- Salt to taste
Roast Cauliflower and Bacon
Preheat your oven to 425F.
On one side of a large baking sheet, place a cooling rack, and lay the bacon strips side by side on the rack.
On the other side of the baking sheet, toss the cauliflower florets with 2 Tbsp of olive oil and add a pinch of salt.
Roast everything for about 15 minutes.
The bacon should be golden brown, while the cauliflower should be lightly caramelized on its edges.
Allow the bacon to cool for about 10 minutes, then cut it into small dice.
After that, put the bacon and cauliflower aside.
Make Your Lemon Butter Base
In a large sauce pan, combine the remaining 2 Tbsp of olive oil, a stick of butter, anchovy paste, minced garlic, and crushed red pepper flakes over medium-low heat.
Once the butter has melted and started to foam, add the minced kale.
After about 3-4 minutes at low heat, the kale will be completely wilted and bright green.
Stir in the Meyer lemon zest and juice, and this mixture will bubble up for a few seconds.
Turn off the heat and cover the pot.
Cook the Pasta and Combine Everything
Fill a large pot with salted water to boil, and cook the bucatini according to the package directions.
Usually, this will take 9-10 minutes for al dente.
Before straining, reserve 3/4 cup of pasta water.
Add the reserved pasta water to your lemon kale mixture and simmer over medium heat.
Add your strained pasta to the mixture, along with the roasted cauliflower, grated Parmesan cheese, and chopped Italian parsley, and toss these ingredients until the pasta is completely coated.
The starchy pasta water will help form a silky sauce that wraps the bucatini.
Divide among serving bowls and top with crispy bacon, additional grated Parmesan, a pinch more crushed red pepper, and lemon zest.
Lemon Bacon Pasta
Ingredients
Ingredients (~6 servings)
- 6 slices bacon
- 1/2 head cauliflower cut into florets
- 1/4 cup olive oil divided: 2 Tbsp + 2 Tbsp
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1 Tbsp anchovy paste
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
- 1 1/2 bunches kale stems removed and leaves minced
- 2 Meyer lemons zested and juiced
- 3 Tbsp minced Italian parsley
- 3/4 cup pasta water reserved
- 6 Tbsp grated Parmesan plus more for serving
- 1 1/2 lbs bucatini pasta
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425F.
- Place bacon on wire rack on half of a baking sheet and cauliflower florets tossed with 2 Tbsp olive oil and salt on the other half.
- Roast 15 minutes until bacon is golden and cauliflower is caramelized.
- Let bacon cool 10 minutes, then dice into pieces.
- In large saucepan over medium-low heat, combine remaining 2 Tbsp olive oil, butter, anchovy paste, garlic, and crushed red pepper.
- When butter foams, add kale and cook 3-4 minutes until wilted and bright green.
- Stir in lemon zest and juice, cover, and turn off heat.
- Boil bucatini in salted water 9-10 minutes until al dente, reserving 3/4 cup pasta water before draining.
- Add pasta water to lemon-kale mixture and bring to gentle simmer over medium heat.
- Add drained pasta, roasted cauliflower, Parmesan, and parsley, tossing until well coated.
- Divide among bowls and top with crispy bacon and extra Parmesan.
