And Locatelli comes in at….

…#2 on my list of favorite cheeses! Brie comes in #1 of course. We can discuss brie (at length) another day.

Apparently Locatelli is (I think) a brand of cheese. Growing up, I thought it was a type of cheese, not a particular brand. My uncle always used to make tons of fabulous Italian food at his house, and without fail there would be a little glass bowl of finely grated Locatelli. We’d pass it around and sprinkle a mountain of it on our food with a little metal spoon. Here is a link about the history of Locatelli cheese in case you are interested: History of Locatelli Seriously, the stuff is amazing.

I was so excited when I found Locatelli at our grocery store recently. It used to be so special when we traveled to New Jersey to visit my aunt and uncle. Now I can have it at home. Even better: I found a recipe that called for Pecorino Romano. That’s what I made tonight: Farfalle with Cauliflower and Turkey Sausage from December 2008 Cooking Light.

4 servings (serving size: about 1 1/2 cups)

 

• 2  (4-ounce) links mild Italian turkey sausage
• 3  cups  small cauliflower florets
• 2  tablespoons  extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt, divided
• 5  garlic cloves, sliced
• 4  cups  uncooked farfalle (bow tie pasta) [I used ziti because that’s what I had!]
• 1/2  teaspoon  crushed red pepper
• 1/2  cup  (2 ounces) grated fresh pecorino Romano cheese
• 1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper

 

1. Preheat oven to 450°. [Yes, I used the new toaster just because I could! See previous post :)]

2. Pierce sausage several times with a knife. Combine sausage, cauliflower, and 1 tablespoon oil in a small roasting pan; toss. Sprinkle evenly with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bake at 450° for 15 minutes. Add garlic to pan; toss. Bake an additional 5 minutes or until sausage is done. Let stand 5 minutes. Cut sausage crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices.

3. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain, reserving 2 tablespoons pasta cooking water. Combine pasta, reserved cooking water, remaining 1 tablespoon oil, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and crushed red pepper in a large bowl; toss. Add cauliflower mixture, sausage, and cheese; toss gently to combine. Sprinkle with black pepper.