By Mark Bittman
- Total Time
- 40 minutes
- Rating
- 4(989)
- Notes
- Read community notes
This dish is derived from a Marcella Hazan recipe. It’s dead simple, and the cauliflower can be precooked a day ahead or so. Or, the whole thing can be made at once: cook the cauliflower in water, scoop it out and then, later, cook the pasta in the same water. It’s already boiling, and you want the taste of the cauliflower anyway, so why not? The cauliflower gets cooked more, in a skillet with toasted garlic, so don’t boil it to death, although you do want it to be tender. And in the original Minimalist recipe, from 2000, bread crumbs were added to the skillet along with the cauliflower, but since some pasta water is usually added to the skillet to keep the mixture saucy, the bread crumbs become soggy. Better, then, to stir the bread crumbs in at the very end. They should be very coarse and ideally homemade, and if they’re toasted in olive oil in a separate skillet before you toss them in, so much the better.
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Ingredients
Yield:3 or 4 servings
- 1head cauliflower, about 1 pound
- Salt and black pepper
- 1tablespoon minced garlic
- ¼cup olive oil
- 1pound penne, fusilli or other cut pasta
- 1cup coarse bread crumbs
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
686 calories; 17 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 10 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 112 grams carbohydrates; 8 grams dietary fiber; 7 grams sugars; 21 grams protein; 678 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Trim the cauliflower and divide it into florets. Add about a tablespoon of salt to the water and boil cauliflower until it is tender but not mushy. Using a slotted spoon or strainer, remove the cauliflower and set it aside. When it is cool enough to handle, chop it roughly into small pieces.
Step
2
Meanwhile, in a large deep skillet over medium-low heat, sauté garlic in olive oil, stirring occasionally, until garlic is golden. Start cooking pasta in same pot and same water as was used for the cauliflower.
Step
3
When the garlic is ready, add the cauliflower to skillet and turn heat to medium. Cook, stirring occasionally. When pasta is just about done — it should be 2 or 3 minutes short of the way you like it — drain it, reserving about a cup of cooking liquid.
Step
4
Add pasta to skillet containing the cauliflower, and toss with a large spoon until they are well combined. Add salt and pepper to taste, along with just enough pasta water to keep the mixture moist but not soupy. When the mixture is hot and the pasta is tender and nicely glazed, mix in the bread crumbs.
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989
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Cooking Notes
hankarnold@gmail.com
This is ok, but if you ROAST the cauliflower before cooking this you get a very pleasant nutty flavor...get it nice and brown!!
Carole
Toasted some dry panko in a little olive oil in a skillet first. Added a little lemon zest. Used about a 1/3 of a lb of pasta, to make it more veg than pasta. Delicious and easy. Will make again.
Joel
The addition of black, oil-cured olives, a sprinkling of
red pepper flakes and a few anchovies takes this recipe to another level of taste. You can find it in Lorenza De Medici's
The Renaissance of Italian Cooking.
April
I just used this as a jumping off point for my dish. I did the cauliflower like the recipe said. In the meantime I sautéed some mushrooms then added the cauliflower to that . Let that cook until the cauliflower was browned. Next I added some cherry tomatoes that I wanted to use up as well. Toward the end I found half a can of tomatoes so I chopped those up, threw in some white wine and black olives. Topped with fresh parsley and Parm .
Susan
I have made this for years, without even getting the recipe from Marcella. I often add other vegetables, and sometimes roast the cauliflower instead. Lemon is a great touch, white wine, and sometimes a dollop of dijon.
Louise
My mom used short pasta (such as ditalini or small shells) and added enough water or chicken soup to create a thick minestra. After ladling this into bowls, parmesan was sprinkled heavily along with freshly ground black pepper. This dish was considered part of her cucina povera repertoire, but the memories of those dishes have lasted over 65 years.
Lisa
Simple and delicious. I sliced my garlic rather than chopping it, and added lemon zest as Carole suggested. I stirred in a pat of butter at the end, before adding the bread crumbs.
John A Giglia
I find this recipe to be much better if you roast the cauliflower with olive oil and garlic first and then toss it with the pasta.
Rory
This is an old Italian dish. So glad I found this recipe. Saved 2cups of cauliflower water as it has a tendency to be dry and used seasoned Italian breadcrumbs at the end and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes for a little flavor. Extremely good and healthy
MCD
This recipe works better than another NYT recipe (I didn't date it, darn), Rigatoni and Cauliflower al forno. That recipe turns out too dry for my taste. I love cauliflower but also more like veg than pasta!
Caleb
Melt a few anchovies into the olive oil and garlic, and then toss in red pepper flakes to taste before adding the cauliflower to the pan. The anchovies practically disappear, but they add some richness to the dish. Toast the breadcrumbs in olive oil and sprinkle on after plating to keep them crunchy.
Barbara
I add some red pepper flakes to the oil and some chopped black olives (and one anchovy filet if you'd like) before sautéing the cauliflower.
Yhr080c
Not bad, but VERY bland.
Lemon zest is an excellent suggestion.
But something sharp would help - add chilli flakes when cooking the garlic?
Also something green? parsley?
Claudia
It tastes even better with the addition of lemon zest and juice, and anchovy.
Marco
I added lemon juice and bacon to this dish for extra depth of flavor, and, by cutting this recipe in half, it makes a perfect meal for two.
alice
Very tasty. Added handful cut-up tomatoes, some cut up sugar snap peas. Toasted breadcrumbs in pan.
Loryn
Anchovies in original Hazan recipe really make the dish....they're smashes and mashed and so so delish!
Bettina
Okay so I should have read all the notes first. Husband has stage 3 kidney disease so always looking for great dishes that fit his dietary profile. I toasted the white breadcrumbs in EVOO. Roasted the blanched cauliflowers in EVOO To get some color. Added the penne, crushed red pepper, the pasta water, the breadcrumbs. Added some parm. He has to watch his sodium so no salt. It was ok…a bit dry…added salt to mine otherwise extremely bland. I really want to love this dish so will make again.
Sharon Knettell
Loved this. Found a gorgeous head of cauliflower at my local farm. Used 3 tablespoons of olive oil, 3/4 cup whole wheat and half the amount of whole wheat pasta ( 8 Oz) and Parmesan. Fast easy. Does not need more pasta because the cauliflower is quite bland.
Colt
Fancied this up with the addition of anchovies, sausage, onion, cilantro, parsley, parmesan, and a little yuzu juice at the end to brighten it up and fresh tomatoes on top.
ACRA
I liked this dish, not quite like mom used to make, but it was close. I added grated parmigiana, makes it more creamy, and crushed red pepper flakes, it needs some bite! I also added some fresh basil. All in all nice! I see some people here roasted their cauliflower first, I think that’s a great idea, I’ll try that next time!
Kelly Shellard
I had to post this immediately following the second cooking of this dish. The first time I roasted the cauliflower in the oven, the second time I boiled it. I’m a huge cauliflower fan, and this dish is good both ways. However, for two reasons, I preferred it with the roasted cauliflower: first because the flavour is just better with it roasted and second because the colour of the dish is so much better with some darkness to it. The boiled dish looks more bland and one-coloured. Yummy dish!
ccfca
I’ve made the basic broccoli pasta many times (similar and tasty, but yeah… basic). Raided the pantry for this one, I didn’t have enough cauliflower, so added some baby turnip greens. Sautéed the garlic in bacon fat and added the boiled cauliflower and greens before the pasta and pasta water. Massaged lemon zest into the bread crumbs along with some chili pepper flakes to add at the end. YUM. Easy and delish weeknight meal.
Shell
Mods I'm glad I made - Squeezed a lemon into the cauli before adding the pasta, added about 1/4 c parmesan with the pasta and tossed until it became a sauce, added pickled onions at the end for some additional acid. I toasted the panko with herbs as well. I feel like it would have been pretty bland otherwise. A good template for a quick pantry meal though, and I'd make it again.
Theresa
The cauliflower is good by itself, or with the pasta.
Shelley
This needs at least three times the amount of garlic called for. A dash or two of red pepper flakes will help as well. Too bland without.
Karen / larissa
Made this with some changes based on comments & our favorite kale salad with lemon and almonds and parm. I used a whole head of cauliflower, about 1/3 lb GF pasta (farfalle!). Finished with a shake of red chili pepper, 1T of Otolenghi’s fake preserved lemon, 1/2 t mustard, 1/2 c toasted slivered almonds, chopped, and 1/4 c GF bread crumbs. Family of picky eaters finished the whole thing.
jo
Others have mentioned roasting, but a quick blanch and in toss in a hot skillet with some olive oil, garlic and red pepper flakes adds some interest and keeps the prep time quick.
carroll
Add red pepper flakes, and substitute toasted hemp seeds for the breadcrumbs
Jeanette
Roasted the cauliflower instead of boiling it. And added sausage. Very yummy and perfect for a weeknight dinner.
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