Pasta with fried cauliflower and red pepper pesto

Serves 4

• 1 medium cauliflower
• 80g extra-virgin olive oil
• 5 cloves garlic
• 0 black pepper
• 80g flaked almonds
• 100g red peppers
• 1 pinch chilli flakes
• 300g short pasta tubes
• 2 handfuls flat-leaf parsley
• 5 oclockapron.com

Step 1
Cook the cauliflower in a pan of boiling salted water for five minutes until soft, then drain.

Step 2
Return the pot to the heat and add half the olive oil.

Step 3
Add the cauliflower, half the garlic and a generous pinch of salt.

Step 4
Give the pan a good stir, put the lid on and cook on a very low flame for 10 minutes.

Step 5
Meanwhile, grind the rest of the garlic and half the almonds until coarsely ground.

Step 6
Add the peppers and process until the mixture is smooth.

Step 7
Add the rest of the oil in a thin stream until it is fully emulsified.

Step 8
Season to taste.

Step 9
Remove the lid from the cauliflower, add a touch of chilli to taste, cook for a further 15 minutes, stirring and scraping now and then to stop it catching.

Step 10
Try to keep some small cauliflower chunks for texture.

Step 11
Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the packet instructions and drain.

Step 12
Stir the pepper sauce through the pasta, check the seasoning and spoon into bowls.

Step 13
Top with the soft, caramelised cauliflower, the remaining almonds and the chopped parsley.