Description
This Sicilian cauliflower pasta with raisins and pine nuts is sweet and savory and good. Truly a classic dish!
Ingredients
2 c cauliflower florets
20 Baby tomatoes
Coarse Salt
2–3 T olive oil
12 oz campanelle pasta, cooked according to package directions in salted water (I like this shape because it is shaped like cauliflower)
1/3–1/2 c golden raisins softened (Just cover them with hot water until soft)
1 pinch saffron, blended into 1 T hot water
4 chopped anchovies in oil
4 minced garlic cloves
1/4–1/2 t crushed red pepper flakes
1 T butter
1/4 c pasta water
3 T pine nuts (toasted if you prefer)
1/4 chopped Italian parsley
1/3 c Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425.
Begin by preparing your tomatoes and cauliflower for roasting. Lin a baking sheet with parchment paper for easy clean up. Toss veggies with oil and salt and place in oven. Do not crowd your pan or it will take longer for vegetables to brown! A convection oven or air fryer could do this job faster. You can do these in two separate pans if you want.
Cook your pasta according to package directions for al dente pasta and then set it aside.
Cover your raisins with water and let soften.
Let saffron dissolve a bit in hot water, too.
Heat anchovies in skillet over medium heat and cook with garlic until they break up. (I will be honest. I do not like anchovies out of the can. Cooking them to make sauce though is divine!)
Add the saffron, red pepper flakes and butter after garlic is soft. Stir in your pasta water.
When cauliflower and tomatoes are roasted, stir them into the pasta and add anchovy mixture and drained raisins.
Garnish with pine nuts, parsley and Parmigiano Reggiano. Enjoy!
Notes
Feel free to use a spoonful of capers if you like and don’t be worried about using a different shape of pasta!
