Pasta with Cauliflower
This is a favorite, comforting pasta dish--every bite of it takes me back to Italy. And though I'm hesitant to emphasize this, it's quite healthy, too. The secret is in finely chopped cauliflower, tomato, and a touch of saffron. Top it all with homemade toasted breadcrumbs for the completely authentic experience.
You can go directly to the printable recipe (pdf), or I'll show you how to make it step-by-step...
Here are the ingredients, which you can see are quite simple. Wait a minute... what's in that jar left of the cauliflower? Is that *gasp* anchovies? Well, yes indeed. That is the other secret ingredient. Even if you are anchovy-adverse, I encourage you to give them a go in this recipe. They are finely minced and integrated into the sauce, adding a really wonderful flavor boost.
1) If you're going whole hog and making the fresh breadcrumbs, start by cutting about a 6" segment of a baguette.
2) Cut the crust away on the top...
..and bottom and sides.
3) Tear the crustless bread into pieces. You should have 1-cup measure filled to almost overflowing.
4) Transfer the torn bread to a food processor...
...and process until the bread is in coarse crumbs...
...which should yield 1 cup of fresh breadcrumbs.
5) In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat.
6) When the oil is heated, add the fresh breadcrumbs to the skillet...
...and toast until golden brown.
~ Set aside the breadcrumbs to cool in the pan while we prepare the remaining mise en place. ~
7) Measure out (eye-balling it) 1 to 2 tablespoons worth of anchovies. As an anchovy-lover, I'm on the upper end of that here.
8) Very finely mince the anchovies and set aside.
9) Peel 5 cloves of garlic (I'm hitting a clove lightly with an old potato masher to loosen the skin--the side of a knife works well too)...
...finely mince the garlic and set aside.
10) Quarter 1 large head of cauliflower...
...remove the cores...
...and finely chop the flowerets. Set aside.
11) Measure out 3 tablespoons of tomato paste...
...add the juice from a 14 1/2-oz. can of diced tomatoes (reserving the diced tomatoes).
12) Stir the tomato paste/juice mixture to combine and set aside.
13) Heat 1/4 cup water...
...and crumble in a generous pinch of saffron, stirring to help it dissolve.
14) Those breadcrumbs that were cooling the in skillet? You can take those out now if you'd like to use the same skillet to make the pasta sauce...
...here's my mise en place all ready to go.
15) In a large skillet, heat 4 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat.
16) When the oil is hot, add the chopped cauliflower to the skillet...
...and cook the cauliflower until it is softened, about 5 minutes.
17) Add the garlic to the skillet...
...and the tomato paste mixture. Stir to combine.
18) Cover and simmer the sauce over low heat for about 10 minutes, until the cauliflower is very tender.
19) Add the reserved diced tomatoes...
...the finely diced anchovy...
...and the dissolved saffron.
20) Simmer the sauce uncovered over medium heat until it thickens, about 5 minutes.
21) Measure out 3/4 pounds of tubed-shaped pasta (I'm using garganelli here, a quill-shaped pasta which has fun little ridges on it)...
...and bring to a boil 4 to 5 quarts of water. While the water is heating, we'll chop up some Italian parsley for a pretty green garnish.
22) Rinse a handful of Italian parsley leaves...
...turn the rinsed leaves out onto a clean kitchen towel...
...and roll the towel up to squeeze out the extra moisture.
23) Shake the parsley leaves out on to a cutting board...
...and finely chop. Set the chopped parsley aside.
~ Prepare the pasta according to the procedure in Pasta 101, remembering, of course, to salt the cooking water. Turn the drained, hot pasta into the warm sauce and stir thoroughly to combine. ~
Serve immediately garnished with the homemade toasted breadcrumbs and chopped parsley. Bueno appetito!
Pasta with Cauliflower
Serves 4.
1 6-inch segment of a baguette, crust removed
1 tablespoon of olive oil
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large head cauliflower, core removed, florets finely chopped
5 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 to 2 tablespoons minced oil-packed anchovies
A generous pinch crumbled saffron dissolved in 1/4 cup warm water
3/4 pound tube-shaped pasta
Finely chopped Italian parsley
- Tear the crustless baguette into small (about 1") pieces. Transfer the torn bread to a food processor and process until the bread is in coarse crumbs (yield should be 1 cup of fresh breadcrumbs).
- In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the fresh breadcrumbs and toast them until golden brown. Set aside.
- In a small measuring cup, combine the tomato paste and juice drained from the can of diced tomatoes (reserving the diced tomatoes).
- In a large skillet, heat 4 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped cauliflower to the skillet. Cook the cauliflower until it is softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic and tomato paste/juice mixture to the skillet. Cover and simmer the sauce over low heat for about 10 minutes, until the cauliflower is very tender.
- To the cauliflower, add the reserved diced tomatoes, the finely diced anchovy, and the dissolved saffron.
- Simmer the sauce, uncovered, over medium heat until it thickens, about 5 minutes.
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Turn the drained, hot pasta into the warm sauce and stir thoroughly to combine.
- Serve immediately garnished with the toasted breadcrumbs and chopped parsley.
Download printable recipe (pdf)
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I can never get enough pasta!
I find a lot of people turn their noses up at anchovies but if you put them in a dish like this they'll like them and will never know unless you tell them they're in there.
Posted by: brilynn | April 21, 2008 at 07:10 AM
That looks so good and I am so hungry.
A fine use for one of my favorite vegetables.
Posted by: lifeinrecipes | April 21, 2008 at 07:10 AM
looks fantastic my friend.. wonderful stuff.. and i enjoy the step by step photo.. i need to get my stuff in order and start organizing and posting my fun in the kitchen.... i really respect the amount of time and effort you have put into this.. congrats!
Posted by: dailydesignspot | April 21, 2008 at 07:23 PM
@brilynn - you are so right about the anchovies. My husband was very surprised when he saw the post and saw how much anchovy I put in!
@lifeinrecipes - cauliflower is one of our favorites, too. We even put pan-roasted cauliflower on slices of plain cheese pizza we get at our neighborhood pizzeria.
@dailydesignspot - thanks, I have a lot of fun doing the step-by-step photos. I have a system down now so it's going faster than it did in the beginning.
- Heidi
Posted by: Heidi | April 21, 2008 at 08:37 PM
Hi Heidi
Have youever used salted anchovies rather than the oil cured ones? If so, how long should I soak them first and can it be in water or must it be milk?
Huge lover of the little fish...but just got my first imported batch of salt cured.
Thanks!
Posted by: mirinblue | April 25, 2008 at 06:32 AM
Hi mirinblue - I'm afraid I can't answer your question -- maybe someone else can chime in?
- Heidi
Posted by: Heidi | April 26, 2008 at 06:16 PM