Whole Wheat Spaghetti With Cauliflower And Feta Food

SICILIAN-STYLE CAULIFLOWER WITH WHOLE WHEAT PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat, then salt it generously. Add the penne and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente--tender but not mushy. Drain the pasta in a colander set in the sink. Transfer to a large bowl.
• Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cauliflower, shallots, and garlic, and cook, stirring, until the cauliflower is well browned, about 8 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, 2 teaspoons salt, water, vinegar, raisins, honey, capers, thyme, bay leaf, fennel seeds, if using, and season with black pepper. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook until cauliflower is fork tender, about 7 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the pine nuts and parsley. Remove and discard the thyme and bay leaf.
• Toss vegetables and pasta together along with the pecorino. Drizzle with additional olive oil, if desired. Serve immediately, passing more cheese at the table.

WHOLE-WHEAT PASTA WITH SAUSAGE AND SWISS CHARD

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water, then drain.
• Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add the onion and chard stems; cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until slightly softened, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the tomatoes start breaking apart, about 5 minutes.
• Add the chard leaves to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until they start wilting, about 3 minutes. Add the pasta, the reserved cooking water and 1/4 cup cheese; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Top each serving with the remaining cheese.

SPICED ROASTED CAULIFLOWER WITH FETA AND GARLIC

Steps:

• Heat oven to 450 degrees. Slice cauliflower lengthwise into ½-inch thick slices, including the core and leaves. (Some of the first slices will crumble and fall apart. This is O.K., and will be useful when you want those crispier bits.)
• Place cauliflower (slices and crumbles) and garlic on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with fennel seed, turmeric and red-pepper flakes, and season with salt and pepper.
• Roast, without disturbing, until cauliflower has turned a deep golden brown and crisped up in spots, 25 to 30 minutes. Using a spatula, flip the larger steaks and stir the smaller bits around and continue to roast until completely and evenly browned, another 8 to 10 minutes.
• Remove from heat and transfer to a large serving platter. Top with feta, herbs and a drizzle of olive oil.

WHOLE-WHEAT PASTA WITH BROCCOLINI AND FETA

Steps:

• Put the shallots in a bowl and cover with cold water. Soak for about 10 minutes; drain.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it generously. Fill a medium bowl with ice water and salt it as well. Add the broccolini to the boiling water and cook until crisp-tender, about 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the radish slices, and cook 30 seconds, more. Use a slotted spoon or strainer to scoop out the vegetables and plunge them immediately into the ice water. Drain the vegetables, pat them very dry.
• Add the pasta to the same pot of boiling water, and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 8 to 9 minutes. Drain and set aside.
• Whisk the sherry vinegar, orange zest, the 3/4 teaspoon salt and pepper, to taste, in a large serving bowl. Gradually whisk in the oil, starting with a few drops and then adding the rest in a steady stream, to make a dressing.
• Toss the rigatoni, broccolini, radish and shallot with the dressing. Add the feta cheese and toss lightly. Serve warm or room temperature.

WHOLE-WHEAT PASTA SALAD WITH WALNUTS AND FETA CHEESE

Steps:

• Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package. Drain the pasta, rinse it under cold water, and put it in the refrigerator to chill.
• In a dry saute pan toast the walnuts over a medium-high flame until they are fragrant, about 2 minutes. Set the walnuts aside to cool then chop them coarsely.
• In a large bowl, toss together the chilled pasta, walnuts, feta cheese, onion, and spinach. In a small bowl whisk the oil, vinegar, garlic and mustard. Pour the dressing over the pasta salad and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

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.

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.

CAULIFLOWER FETA PASTA BAKE

Steps:

• Roast cauliflower florets in 1/4 cup of oil at 425 degrees for 20 - 25 minutes or until browned.
• Boil bow tie pasta as directed. Drain. Add tomatoes, feta, 1/4 cup oil, 1/2 teaspoon parsley and mix well.
• Mix cauliflower into pasta mixture. Add entire mixture to a 2-quart baking dish. Top with 1/2 teaspoon parsley and breadcrumbs. Bake at 350 for 10 - 15 minutes and serve.

WHOLE WHEAT SPAGHETTI WITH CAULIFLOWER AND FETA

Steps:

• Heat oil in skillet. Saute onion until tender. Add garlic and cook another two minutes. Add cauliflower, cook and stir for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and add wine.
• Cover and cook for 15 minutes, or until cauliflower is fork tender.
• Cook pasta according to directions on the package. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water.
• Add tomatoes, walnuts, reserved pasta water and red pepper to skillet. Cook 2-3 minutes, or until tomatoes begin to soften.
• Toss spaghetti with veggie sauce and top with feta.