Penne with Cauliflower

[mos]

fresh cauliflower can be expensive unless you grab it off of the mark-down rack or grow your own! I use the mark-down rack and trim it! LOL!
Penne with Cauliflower:107:
1 head cauliflower, trimmed and cut into florets
salt to taste
1/3 cup olive oil
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
6 anchovy fillets
pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
1 tbs parsley
1 cup chicken broth
1 lb pkg of penne or 1/2 lb pkg of pennette (the smaller version)
1/4 cup bread crumbs
Bring 4 quarts of water to a rapid boil.

Add the cauliflower and 1 1/2 tbs of salt. Boil. until tender, about 7 minutes.

Use a slotted spoon to retrieve the florest, then cut them into dice, and set aside.
Reserve the cooking water. Warm all but a tbs of the oil in a large skillet. Add the garlic and anchovies, and saute until the garlic is soft and the anchovies dissolve into the oil, 2-3 minutes.

Add the pepper flakes and cauliflower, and continue to saute for 3 minutes. Add the parsley and broth and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the cauliflower disintegrates in the liquid, about 5 minutes.
Bring the cauliflower cooking water to a boil adding enough fresh water to make 4 quarts. Add the penne and cook according to directions.

When the pasta is done, drain and add to the skillet with the cauliflower sauce. Quickly, in a separate small skillet over medium or medium-low heat, warm the remaining oil and add the bread crumbs. Cook, stirring constantly, until the crumbs are just golden, about 1 minute.
sprinkle the bread crumbs over the pasta and serve immediately.

4 servings = about 320 calories.

[offthecouchandtri]

This is a really interesting way to use cauliflower. I’ve never heard of cooking it until it dissolves to make a sauce. Thanks for the idea!

Mary

[mos]

you are very welcome! I didn’t know either until I over-cooked some and thought, ‘hmmm, how can I use this to my advantage in the future?’ serindipity can provide lots of useful information if we choose to apply it;-)

[Author]

Posts