Caramelized Cauliflower Tagliatelle, with Hazelnut Pesto

Fry Hazelnuts:

Preheat oven to 220°C. Wash the fresh produce. Heat ¼ cup olive oil in a medium pan over medium heat. When oil is shimmering, add hazelnuts and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes - being careful not to burn. Using a slotted spoon, remove hazelnuts. Reserving oil in the pan, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Set aside the pan for step 5. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Caramelize Cauliflower:

Cut cauliflower into 1 cm thick, bite-sized florets. On a lined baking tray, toss cauliflower with half the hazelnut oil, salt, and pepper. Arrange in a single layer and roast on the bottom rack of the oven until browned and caramelized, about 15-20 minutes.

Make Hazelnut Pesto:

Finely chop hazelnuts. Finely chop parsley leaves, discarding stems. Zest lemon, then halve. In a medium bowl, combine chopped hazelnuts and parsley, lemon zest, 1 squeeze lemon juice, ⅔ of the parmesan and remaining hazelnut oil. Stir to combine. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Tip: You can also use a small food processor to make the pesto.

Cook Pasta:

Add pasta and a generous pinch of salt to the pot of boiling water. Cook until al dente, 2-3 minutes. Reserve ½ cup pasta cooking water, then drain.

You Plate It:

Meanwhile, add hazelnut pesto to pan used to fry hazelnuts from step 1 over medium-low heat. Cook until warmed through, about 3 minutes. Add pasta, then toss to coat. Add reserved pasta cooking water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached. Add cauliflower and cook for about 1 minute more.

You Plate It:

Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Divide evenly between plates and sprinkle with remaining parmesan. Enjoy!