Spaghetti With Cauliflower Green Olives And Almonds Food

SICILIAN PASTA WITH CAULIFLOWER

Steps:

• Place the raisins or currants in a small bowl and cover with warm water. In another bowl combine the saffron with 3 tablespoons warm water. Let both sit for 20 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt generously. Add the cauliflower and boil gently until the florets are tender but the middle resists when poked with a skewer or knife, about 10 minutes. Using slotted spoons or tongs (or a pasta insert) remove the cauliflower from the water, transfer to a bowl of cold water and drain. Cover the pot and turn off the heat. You will cook the pasta in the cauliflower water. Cut the florets from the core of the cauliflower and cut them into small florets or crumble coarsely using a fork or your hands.
• Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet and add the garlic. Cook, stirring, until it smells fragrant, about 30 seconds to a minute, and add the anchovies and tomatoes. Turn the heat down to medium-low and cook, stirring often, until the tomatoes have cooked down and smell fragrant, about 10 minutes. Drain the raisins or currants and add, along with the saffron and its soaking liquid, cauliflower, pine nuts or almonds, and about 1/4 cup of the cooking water from the cauliflower. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover, turn the heat to low and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Keep warm while you cook the pasta.
• Bring the cauliflower water back to a boil and cook the pasta al dente, following the timing instructions on the package. Check the sauce and if it seems dry add another 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta and transfer to the pan with the sauce. Toss together and serve, sprinkled with pecorino and chopped basil leaves. If desired, drizzle a little olive oil over each serving.

SPAGHETTI WITH CAULIFLOWER, GREEN OLIVES, AND ALMONDS

Steps:

• Pulse olives and parsley in a food processor until coarsely chopped. Transfer to a bowl.
• Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then cook cauliflower with salt, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and red-pepper flakes and cook, stirring occasionally, until cauliflower is tender and garlic is golden, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Stir in water and boil 1 minute. Add olive mixture and cook, stirring, until heated through, about 2 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cook pasta in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta-cooking water. Drain in a colander and return to pot.
• Add cauliflower mixture and toss well, then add cheese and toss again. If pasta is dry, moisten with some reserved cooking water.
• Sprinkle pasta with almonds and serve immediately, with additional cheese on the side.

SPAGHETTI WITH CAULIFLOWER, ALMONDS, TOMATOES AND CHICKPEAS

Steps:

• Fill a large pasta pot with water and bring to a boil. Add salt to taste and cauliflower. Boil 5 minutes, then using a Chinese skimmer, a strainer or a slotted spoon, transfer cauliflower to a bowl of cold water (do not drain the pot; you'll use the water for the pasta). Drain the cauliflower and chop medium-fine. Set aside.
• (You can do this step while you are waiting for the water to come to a boil for the cauliflower). Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet or a wide saucepan and add garlic. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds, and stir in tomatoes with liquid, sugar, cinnamon, salt and oregano. Turn up heat to medium-high and stir often as tomatoes come to a brisk boil. Turn heat down to medium and cook, stirring often, until tomatoes have cooked down and taste very fragrant, about 10 minutes. Add pepper to taste.
• Add cauliflower and almonds to the tomato sauce, along with 1/4 cup cooking water from the cauliflower, and stir together. Stir in chickpeas.
• Bring water in the pot back to a boil and add spaghetti. Cook al dente, following timing instructions on the package but checking for doneness a minute before indicated time on the package. Set aside 1/2 cup of the cooking water from the pasta, in case you want to moisten the sauce more, drain pasta and toss with the tomato and cauliflower sauce and the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Add water from pasta only if you think the mixture seems dry. Serve, passing crumbled feta or grated Parmesan at the table for sprinkling.

SPAGHETTI WITH ROASTED CAULIFLOWER, TOMATO SAUCE AND OLIVES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil and add the cauliflower. Blanch for two minutes and transfer to a bowl of ice water. Drain and blot dry. Cover the pot; you'll use the water again for the pasta. Quarter the cauliflower florets, toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and salt generously. Transfer to a baking sheet, place in the oven and roast 30 minutes, stirring from time to time, until tender and lightly browned. Remove from the oven and set aside.
• Meanwhile, in a wide, nonstick frying pan or a 3-quart saucepan, heat the remaining oil over medium heat and add the garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about one minute. Add the tomatoes, sugar, thyme and salt, and bring to a simmer. Simmer over medium-low heat, stirring often, until thick, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in the cauliflower and the olives, and simmer a few minutes more. Taste and adjust seasonings.
• Bring the water back to a rolling boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until the pasta is al dente, usually about 10 minutes. Drain and toss with the cauliflower-tomato mixture. Sprinkle the cheese over the top and serve at once.

ROASTED CAULIFLOWER WITH FETA, ALMONDS AND OLIVES

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, toss the cauliflower with the olive oil. Season well with the salt, pepper and red-pepper flakes, if using, and toss again. Spread the mixture evenly onto a large sheet pan and roast until crisp and golden, about 25 to 30 minutes, tossing halfway through to ensure even browning.
• Meanwhile, toast the almonds in a skillet over medium-low heat, stirring frequently to ensure they don't burn, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Once the cauliflower is roasted, toss it in a large bowl with the feta cheese, olives, half the almonds and 1 tablespoon parsley until combined. Top with remaining almonds and parsley, and lemon. Season with flaky salt, if desired.

WHOLE WHEAT SPAGHETTI WITH CAULIFLOWER AND GREEN OLIVES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spread almonds and sesame seeds on a baking sheet.
• Bake almonds and sesame seeds in the preheated oven until lightly toasted, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, pulse olives and parsley in a food processor until coarsely chopped. Transfer to a bowl.
• Heat olive oil in a heavy 12-inch skillet over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add cauliflower and salt; cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 minutes. Add bell pepper; cook until cauliflower is golden brown, about 8 minutes more. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Remove skillet from the heat.
• Bring 6 to 8 quarts of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 12 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup cooking water. Return to the pot.
• Stir 1/4 cup pasta cooking water into the cauliflower mixture. Boil for 1 minute to deglaze the bottom of the skillet. Add olive mixture; cook and stir until heated through, about 2 minutes.
• Pour cauliflower mixture over the spaghetti and toss well. Add Pecorino Romano and toss again. Moisten spaghetti with more cooking water if it appears dry. Sprinkle with toasted almonds and sesame seeds and serve immediately.