29.06.2012
This is an awesome recipe from my Karen Martini cookbook. The roasting of the cauliflower for this southern Italian-style pasta makes all the difference. It’s a terrific combination of flavours.
Ingredients (serves 4):
- 1 small cauliflower
- 125ml extra virgin olive oil, plus 1 tbsp extra
- 500g rigatoni
- 2 brown onions, sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, sliced
- 3 sprigs thyme
- 80g currants
- 100ml red wine vinegar, plus 1 tbsp extra
- 3 anchovy fillets, chopped
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 pinches of saffron threads
- 70g pine nuts
- 200ml white wine
- 120g grated parmesan
- 2 sprigs flat-leaf parsley, leaves coarsely chopped
Preheat oven to 200⁰C. Cut the cauliflower into florets, brush with some of the olive oil and roast for 35 minutes or until golden.
Cook the pasta in lightly salted boiling water until al dente. Drain.
Heat the remaining olive oil in a large saucepan over very low heat until hot. Add the onions, garlic and thyme and cook for 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, place the currants and vinegar in a small saucepan and bring it to the boil. Remove from the heat and drain.
Stir in the anchovies into the onion mixture and season with salt and pepper. Add the currants, cauliflower, saffron and ½ cup water and simmer for 5 minutes.
Add the pine nuts, extra olive oil, extra vinegar, wine and cooked pasta and stir over low heat for 5 minutes.
Check the seasoning, then add the parmesan and parsley. Toss to combine and serve immediately.
