Are you looking for a new recipe to try for the New Year? This recipe from Meatless Monday includes savory veggies, sweet dried fruit, decadent nuts and whole grain pasta for a combination that will have you and your family craving more.
Sicilian Cauliflower Pasta
Courtesy of Meatless Monday
Sicily was ruled by Arabs in the tenth and eleventh centuries, and their culinary legacy lives on in the island’s cooking by the use of ingredients like saffron, raisins, and pine nuts. Here all three are combined with the humble cauliflower to create a memorable pasta dish. This recipe can be found in The Meat Free Monday Cookbook.
Serves 4
· A pinch of saffron threads
· 1 small-medium cauliflower, chopped into small florets
· 3 tablespoons olive oil
· 1 onion, finely chopped
· 2 fat garlic cloves, minced
· A pinch of red pepper flakes
· 1/3 cup raisins
· 1/2 cup pine nuts
· 2 tablespoons sun-dried tomato paste
· 1 bay leaf
· 14 ounces of your favorite whole wheat pasta
· 1 tablespoon lemon juice
· 2 heaping tablespoons freshly chopped Flat-leaf parsley
Salt, pepper and parmesan cheese to taste (not included in nutritional analysis)Directions:
Soak the saffron threads in 2 tablespoons boiling water and set aside.
Cook the cauliflower florets in a large pan of boiling salted water for about 4 minutes until tender. Scoop the cauliflower out of the pan and drain, while setting aside and reserving the water.
Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan, add the onion, and cook over medium heat until tender but not colored. Add the garlic and chile, and cook for an additional minute. Add the raisins and pine nuts to the pan and continue to cook until the pine nuts are toasted and lightly golden.
Add the cauliflower, steeped saffron, sun-dried tomato paste, and bay leaf to the pan along with 1/2 cup of the cauliflower cooking water. Season and cook over low to medium heat for about 5 minutes, lightly mashing the cauliflower with the back of a wooden spoon to make a sauce, adding more water if necessary – i.e., if it starts to look dry.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta in the cauliflower water according to the package instructions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the water, and put the pasta into the sauté pan with the cauliflower sauce. Add the lemon juice and chopped parsley and stir to combine. Add some of the reserved water, if needed. Serve with lots of freshly grated Parmesan.
Find the original recipe with complete nutrition here.