roasted garlic and cracked pepper pasta
16. Mar, 2011 
7 Comments
When I was a kid, I was one of those weirdos that actually liked brussels sprouts. And now that I’m a vegetarian, I really like brussels sprouts. There are just some days when I crave greens and fiber, and brussels sprouts are great for both (there’s about the same amount of fiber in one cup of sprouts as there is in a whole oat bran muffin, without the calories). And roasted with oils…. yum.
You don’t need to be as strange as me, just substitute the brussels sprout for another roasted veggie that you do like and there’s no need to adjust the timing. Roasted carrots, beets, parsnips, turnips, or artichoke hearts will all go well in this dish. The real highlights are the roasted garlic and pepper. When garlic is roasted, it loses the pungent odor and bite of sautéed garlic. Instead, it becomes so creamy and savory that I want to spread it on bread like butter. Let the garlic roast enough that it is soft and almost mushy– you’ll know when it’s ready by the wonderful smells that fill the house.
This is an entry for Ruth’s Presto Pasta Nights, which is hosted by Debbi this week from Debbi Does Dinner. Thanks, Debbi!
Roasted Garlic and Cracked Pepper Pasta
Makes 4 servings. Total time: 1 hour. Active time: 20 minutes.
- 1/2 a box of whole wheat pasta
- 1 head of garlic
- 8-10 brussels sprouts
- about 1/8 cup olive oil
- salt and whole pepper corns, cracked
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- fresh parmesan
Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Leaving the papery peel of the garlic intact, cut of the top of the garlic head, exposing the cloves. Wrap it in tin foil with a splash of olive oil, and roast in the oven for thirty minutes before the next step. Enjoy the glorious smells of roasting garlic for the next half hour. Keep the garlic in the oven while roasting the brussels sprouts, so that it has roasted for a total of about 45 minutes.
Clean the brussels sprouts and cut x’s on the bottom. Cut them in half, and the large ones in quarters. Place them cut-side down on a cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Roast in the oven for 10 minutes (along with the garlic, which has already been roasting for thirty minutes). Then flip them, adding more oil if they seem dry, and roast for another 5-10 minutes.
While the garlic and sprouts are roasting, boil a pot of water and cook the pasta.
When the garlic and brussels sprouts are ready, take them out of the oven and take the peel off of the garlic cloves. They should come off very easily, and if they are done longer, they will be mushy enough to squeeze out of the peels. Chop/mush the garlic on a cutting board and put the garlic in a small bowl with mustard, olive oil, salt, and a generous amount of cracked pepper. Mix well, then toss the garlic dressing with the pasta. Add more olive oil if necessary. Top with brussels sprouts, an extra twist of pepper, and freshly shaved parmesan.
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