Cauliflower, beans pep up baked pasta

Baked pasta is like an old friend I lost touch with for no good reason. Every time I get reacquainted, I think: “It’s been too long. Why don’t we do this more often?”

There’s really nothing quite as comforting as this combination of starch and cheese, bubbling hot, with a crispy topping. And yet I don’t find myself turning to it all that often — perhaps because it seems like a bit of a production (with multiple pans and lots of cleanup), and perhaps because the serving amounts tend to be in the eight-or-more range, too much for my two-person dinner table. By the end of the run, as satisfying as it is at the start, the dish gets a little tiresome.

Then I found a recipe from the great and powerful Alton Brown that featured an appealing approach that solved some of my problems. The same big cast-iron skillet is used to roast cauliflower, make a sauce and bake the assembled dish, so it’s down to two cooking vessels (including the pasta pot). And it’s a smaller batch — not overwhelming in the leftovers department.

I took a few liberties, adding white beans for a protein boost and switching to a smoked cheddar for extra flavor. The results proved this old friend needs to come back into my life for good.

Baked Pasta With Roasted Cauliflower and White Beans

1 (1½- to 2-pound) head

cauliflower

1 tablespoon olive oil ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more as needed

4 large cloves garlic, chopped ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 (14-ounce) can no-saltadded diced tomatoes and their juices, preferably fireroasted

1 (15-ounce) can no-saltadded cannellini beans, rinsed

8 ounces dried penne or rigatoni pasta ⅓ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

4 ounces smoked cheddar cheese, shredded or grated (can substitute smoked Gouda or smoked mozzarella) ¼ cup plain bread crumbs

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Remove and discard the cauliflower core and leaves. Break the florets into bite-size pieces. (You should have about 6 cups.) Toss the florets with the oil and the ½ teaspoon of salt in a large (10-to-12-inch) cast-iron or other heavy, ovensafe skillet. Roast, stirring a time or two, until the cauliflower is lightly browned and barely tender, 20 to 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add a generous pinch or two of salt.

Once the cauliflower is done, transfer the skillet to the stove top over medium heat. Stir in the garlic and crushed red pepper flakes; cook until the garlic is tender, 3 to 4 minutes, then stir in the tomatoes and their juices and the beans. Cook until heated through, a few minutes, then remove from the heat.

Add the pasta to the boiling water; cook to al dente according to the package directions. Drain pasta. Add the drained pasta to the skillet mixture. Stir in the ParmigianoReggiano and smoked cheddar cheeses; taste, and add salt as needed. Top with the bread crumbs.

Return the skillet to the oven; bake until the cheese is melted and bubbling and the bread crumbs are golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool 5 minutes before serving. Makes 6 servings. Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately 360 calories, 17 g protein, 11 g fat, 49 g carbohydrate (5 g sugar), 25 mg cholesterol, 650 mg sodium and 7 g fiber.

Carbohydrate choices: 3½.