Sicilian Pasta with Cauliflower Recipe

Sicilian Pasta with Cauliflower, a delightful combination of flavors, textures and aromas bringing together the sweetness of raisins, crunch of breadcrumbs and pine nuts and the golden color of saffron. A wonderful feast for the palate in only 30 minutes!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Sicilian-Italian

Keyword Sicilian pasta with cauliflower, pasta with cauliflower, raisins and pine nuts

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings servings

Calories 404kcal

Author Nadia Fazio

Ingredients

1 head cauliflower
1/4 cup raisins or currants
1 envelope saffron
2 tbsp pine nuts
1/3 cup dry unseasoned breadcrumbs
2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
2-3 canned anchovy filets or anchovy paste (optional)
225 grams (1/2 lb) gemelli pasta or other short pasta such as penne rigate, rigatoni, fusilli
Pecorino cheese for serving

Instructions

Begin by bringing a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, separate cauliflower into bite size florets. When the water comes to a boil, add salt and cook cauliflower until tender, 6-8 minutes. Drain with a slotted spoon, place in a bowl and set aside. Reserve the water to boil the pasta.
Soak raisins by placing in a bowl and covering with warm water. Dissolve saffron in a bowl with 2-3 tbsp warm water. Coarsely chop the pine nuts, or leave whole if desired.
Toast breadcrumbs in a small pan with a bit of olive oil until lightly browned and crisp, 3-4 minutes. Set aside.
Bring the pot of water to a boil once again. Cook gemelli pasta, or pasta of your choice, until al dente.
While the pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in a large, deep skillet. Sauté onions until soft, then add garlic and anchovy filets or anchovy paste and red pepper flakes (optional).
Add raisins, pine nuts, saffron water and the cooked cauliflower. Stir all ingredients together and break up the cauliflower into small pieces with a wooden spoon.
When the pasta is ready, drain and add to the skillet with the cauliflower mixture. Mix together adding pasta water as needed to create a thick sauce. Add salt and pepper, to taste.
Serve hot topped with crispy breadcrumbs and grated Pecorino cheese.

Notes

In Sicily, bucatini pasta is typically used to make this recipe. I prefer a shorter pasta that the sauce can cling to such as gemelli (shown), penne rigate, rigatoni or cavatappi.

Green cauliflower may be substituted for the typical white variety.

I enjoy chunks of cauliflower in my pasta however,if you prefer a sauce with a smoother, creamier consistency cook the cauliflower for a few minutes longer in the first step.

Please note that the nutritional information provided is approximate and may vary according to exact portion size.

Nutrition