Servings: 3
Preheat: 400°
The raisins add a touch of sweetness to an otherwise savory pasta dish. I think that people who don’t care for cauliflower will enjoy this pasta. I like to use orecchiette as the raisins, nuts, and little bits of cauliflower seem to nestle inside the little ear shaped pasta. I served this dish with sautéed cherry tomatoes to give both color and as a nod to those cooks who put tomatoes in their recipe. I hope you will prepare and enjoy this dish.
Ingredients
1/2 lb orecchiette pasta (be sure to separate the noodles before boiling)
1/2 head cauliflower, broken and cut into small florets
1/4 cup raisins, soaked and drained
1/4 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
1/2 sm onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, sliced
2 inch squirt of anchovy paste from a tube or 3 anchovy filets, mashed
1/4 (or less) cup olive oil
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste
2 Tbsp chopped parsley
1 handful of pecorino grated cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Place cauliflower florets on a baking pan, drizzle with a little oil. Salt and pepper and toss to coat. Place in hot oven and roast until lightly caramelized and tender. Remove and set aside.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add pasta and cook to al dente. Save a cup of the pasta water.
While pasta is cooking, sauté the onion and garlic until soft but not brown. Add the anchovy paste and wine, stir to mix. Add the raisins, pepper flakes and taste for seasoning. Add cooked pasta, simmer for one minute. Add just enough pasta water to keep mixture moist but not soupy. Add the roasted cauliflower, pine nuts, and a handful of cheese and gently toss. Add chopped parsley and plate. Serve with additional cheese on the side.