Ingredients
3/4 cup packaged croutons or 3 slices stale bread
6 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 medium cauliflower (2 1/2 pounds), cut into florets
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 pound linguine
10 fresh sage leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
1 shallot, minced
3/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
Preparation
Place croutons in a plastic bag, and crush to coarse crumbs with a rolling pin. (If using bread, grind in a food processor, and toast in a dry skillet until golden, 2 to 3 minutes, shaking skillet frequently to toast evenly.)
In a large skillet, melt 1 1/2 tablespoons butter over medium-low heat. Add cauliflower florets and 1/4 teaspoon salt; saute, 15 minutes. Add 1/4 cup water; cook until cauliflower is tender when pierced with a sharp knife, about 3 to 4 minutes.
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook linguine until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water.
In pasta pot, melt remaining 5 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Stir in sage and shallot; cook until butter is golden brown, 3 minutes. Add pasta, cauliflower, parsley, and Parmesan; season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Add reserved cooking water if pasta seems dry. To serve, sprinkle with breadcrumbs and more Parmesan.
