Romanesco

Creamy-cheesy broccoli become a charred wonder in this vegetarian side you’ll be taking to all your summer gatherings.

Romanesco shows up in the late fall, tastes like a cross between cauliflower and broccoli, and is studded with fractal-shaped florets that make it look like a magical mythical structure.

Broccoli would be just as good in this pasta with recipe, as would diced winter squash such as butternut or acorn.

Gjelina chef Travis Lett says that getting a good, dark sear on the Romanesco cauliflower is critical to the flavor of the dish: “There’s a nuttiness when you get that color on it.”

Seek out romanesco (a bright green, conical cousin to cauliflower that’s in season right now) for this nutty, savory pasta dinner. Can’t find it? Broccoli or cauliflower will work well too.

Roman cauliflower (also known as Romanesco) grows as a peculiar spiky, conical head, and instead of florets as in regular cauliflower, it projects cones with tiny cones upon cones—a kind of fractal of nature's making. It comes in various hues of white, purple, and green and has a nutty, more intense flavor compared with regular cauliflower. Unfortunately it's not always easy to find in many stores in the US, though sources like farmers' markets often carry it, as do Italian specialty shops. You can substitute standard cauliflower for this if you can't find the Roman variety. It breaks into florets and cooks the same way.

Broccoflower, a cross between broccoli and cauliflower, looks like green cauliflower and has a milder flavor than broccoli.

Romanesco cauliflower — with its cone-shaped florets — has a more subtle, nuanced flavor than traditional varieties. The size of Romanesco cauliflower can vary widely, so we call for weight in this recipe rather than number of heads.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.