Sicilian Pasta with Cauliflower and Saffron
This meatless pasta dish pairs a uniquely Sicilian blend of ingredients with steamed cauliflower to make an easy and delicious one-dish dinner.
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 10 ounces pasta shells, rotini, or penne
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed saffron threads
- 1/4 cup golden raisins
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
- 1 medium head cauliflower
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Olive oil
- 1/2 medium red onion thinly sliced
- 4 anchovy fillets rinsed and finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup diced tomatoes with their juices
- 2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley chopped
- Pecorino or Parmigiano-Reggiano for grating
Instructions
- Put a large pot of salted water on to boil for the pasta.
- Once the water starts to simmer, ladle off about a half cup and divide it between two small prep bowls. Add the saffron to one and the golden raisins to the other and set them aside. Steeping saffron in hot water allows its flavor to develop more fully. Soaking the raisins will rehydrate them, making them sweeter and more tender.
- Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat and add the pine nuts. Shake the pan continuously over the heat until the nuts are lightly toasted, 1/2 to 1 minute. Watch carefully as pine nuts burn very easily. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
- Core the cauliflower, separate it into florets, and add them to the sauté pan. Season with salt and pepper and add 1/2-inch water to the pan.
- Place the pan over medium-high heat, cover and simmer until the cauliflower is tender when pierced with a knife, 7 to 10 minutes. Transfer the cauliflower to a plate and set aside.
- Wipe the pan dry, add a little olive oil and put it back on the stove over medium heat. Separate the onion into rings and sauté over medium heat until lightly caramelized, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute longer.
- Add the anchovies and continue cooking, stirring often, until they have broken down and combined with the garlic and onion, 3 to 4 minutes more.
- Stir in the tomatoes and the saffron along with its steeping liquid. Drain the raisins and add them as well. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer gently while you cook and drain the pasta, 8 to 9 minutes.
- Return the cauliflower florets to the tomato sauce, heat for 1 minute, then add the pine nuts and parsley and combine with the pasta.
- Plate individual servings and top with grated cheese.
Notes
For best results, it's important that you don't skip the following flavor-enhancing steps:
- Steeping the saffron
- Plumping the raisins
- Toasting the pine nuts
Nutrition
Calories: 363 | Total Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 442mg | Carbohydrates: 49g | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 12g | Protein: 14g