3/4 lb (about 1-1/2 cups) farmer's cheese
3/4 cup heavy cream
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, plus more for the dish
1/4 cup plain dry bread crumbs
1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme
Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
1 small head cauliflower, cut into 1-inch-long florets
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth (I like Swanson's 99%, or homemade), or vegetable broth
9 oz fresh egg fettuccine
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Set a large pot of generously salted water over high heat and bring to a boil. Butter a 9x13 baking dish.
In a food processor, combine the cheese and cream and process until well blended. (You can also mix them in a bowl.)
Melt 1 Tbsp of butter in a 12-inch skillet over high heat. Stir in the bread crumbs, thyme, a pinch of salt, and a few grinds of fresh black pepper. Sauté, stirring, until the crumbs are light golden brown and crisp, 1-2 minutes. Immediately scrape them into a small bowl and set aside. Wipe the skillet clean.
Melt 1 Tbsp butter in the same skillet over high heat, until it begins to bubble and brown. Add half the cauliflower and cook until well browned, 2-3 minutes, stirring only once about halfway through, then transfer to a bowl. Lower the heat to medium high, add the remaining 1 Tbsp butter, and repeat with remaining cauliflower. When it's well browned, return the first batch of cauliflower to the pan, add the broth, and cook until the cauliflower begins to get tender but is still a bit crunchy, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in 1 tsp pepper.
Cut the fettuccine into 3-inch lengths and cook in the boiling water until tender, 2-3 minutes. Drain. Put the cauliflower with its cooking liquid and the cheese mixture in the empty pasta pot. Stir to combine. Return the fettuccine to the pot and stir it all together. Season to taste with 1/2 tsp kosher salt. Spread the mixture in the buttered baking dish. Sprinkle the bread crumbs evenly over the top. Bake until the top is lightly golden brown and the cheese is bubbling, 20-30 minutes. Let cool briefly before serving.