pasta with cauliflower, walnuts and feta
You see, several years ago, I was watching some undoubtedly average “healthy cooking” show where the chef suggested that one take half the pasta they wish to eat, replace it with chunks of cauliflower, boil them together and then cover it with marinara sauce. Even though I never made it or even considered making it, it turned my stomach so much that to this day, I can’t seem to forget it. Yes, let’s cook cauliflower in the least appetizing way possible because it is “health food.” Right. Where do I sign up?!
This was among the reasons that I approached the this dish from my other new favorite cookbook, Chez Panisse Vegetables, with great trepidation. It involved several things that give me pause, the first being that combination of cauliflower and pasta which reminded me of that fateful, stomach-turning show. Yet the cauliflower was just one of the things that so far exceeded my expectations of this dish, we are actually venturing into “mind was blown” territory–crunchy, nutty and this might be the only way I cook it for now on. (Just kidding! Er, maybe.)
I was also concerned about the whole wheat pasta, which I just don’t care for. As you can probably tell from my sniping at the “healthy cooking” show, I refuse to eat something that doesn’t sound good, great even, just because it is good for me and whole wheat pasta has also always been one of these things. Seeing as it has no fewer calories than the white-flour stuff and only a smidgen more nutrients, nobody could sell me on it, no siree. But here was whole wheat pasta as it should be, in a dish where the white flour stuff would be too supple or even boring as texture reigns supreme.
The cauliflower played off the walnuts, the whole wheat pasta absolutely worked, the lemon juice and vinegar brightened the whole thing up and the ricotta salata (well, we used feta, actually) made it soar. I can’t tell you how much we liked this, no wait, I can: I brought the leftovers to work the next day and had the best lunch I’d had in months, and I am making it again tomorrow night. This never happens.
Since we’re talking about cauliflower today, here’s a little cauliflower-chopping tutorial that you probably don’t need, but I sure did a couple years ago when every time I cut one up I’d end up with breadcrumb-sized cauliflower bits everywhere, not to mention really muddying up a dish like this. One day I saw Bobby Flay cut one up on one of his shows (thankfully, not the one I mentioned above) and light bulbs went off all over the place: work with the cauliflower’s natural shape and it will work with you. He removes the core in one large piece, let the freed flowerets fall to the counter and cut only where there is a nautural break or bound stem and there is tremendously less mess and waste. How about that? Oh, you’ve been doing it this way the whole time? Well fine then. Show off then, why don’t you?
I suggest you start with this.
Whole Wheat Pasta with Cauliflower, Walnuts and Ricotta Salata
Chez Panisse Vegetables
One of the loveliest things about this recipe–and there are many, in my mind–is the way the recipe is laid out. It is as if Alice Waters in the kitchen with you, telling you that you can just chop all that while the water boils and really explaining the central tenet of this recipe: cauliflower that is cooked to a crunch, not steamed and for heaven’s sake, not boiled. She also thinks you should have this with a crisp white wine–for real!
Serves 6
2 heads cauliflower
1 medium onion
4 cloves garlic
1 pound whole-wheat pasta
Extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 pinch red pepper flakes
White wine vinegar
1/2 lemon
1/2 cup toasted walnuts
4 ounces ricotta salata or feta cheese
Put a large pot of water on to boil. Cut the cauliflower into small flowerets. Peel the onion and slice it very thin. Peel and finely chop the garlic. Put the pasta on to cook.
Saute the cauliflower in olive oil in a large saute pan. When the cauliflower begins to soften, season with salt and pepper and add the sliced onion and red pepper flakes. Saute over medium to high heat until the vegetables are brown and tender. The cauliflower should still be slightly crunchy and should not taste steamed. Add the garlic and remove from the heat, tossing and stirring so the garlic doesn’t burn; if it starts to brown, add a splash of water. Add a few drops each of vinegar and lemon juice and the toasted walnuts. Taste and correct the seasoning. When the pasta is done, drain and add to the cauliflower, adding enough extra-virgin olive oil to coat the pasta thoroughly, toss together and serve, with the cheese crumbled over the dish.
Wow I have to admit that my stomach did a flip at first glance but your description has sold me over. Especially on the best leftover lunch in a long time – now that’s a convincing pasta. Hurray for being courageous!
That sounds very intriguing! And it’s so simple. Bookmarking this, thanks!
I had an unfortunate experience with a cauliflower and pasta recipe at a friend’s house, recently… but this looks fantastic – I’ll have to try it out! (Your blog is beautiful, by the way, but I’m sure you hear that a lot!)
this sounds really good to me
it’s on my list and bookmarked
by the way, i mashed some steamed cauliflower with a small touch of cream and fresh thyme, some salt and pepper…
oh. my. god….
HEAVENLY
What a great way to “trick” your eyes and your stomach that you are eating a huge bowl of pasta. And, I LOVE ricotta salata in anything:)
I would have been very dubious of this recipe, too. Cauliflower has not been high on my preferred list (hate it raw). Though recently I got turned on (I mean really turned on) by a cream of cauliflower and Stilton soup (photos here), so I suspect I might enjoy this pasta dish, too.
Thanks for being adventurous enough to test-drive it for us!
this looks great.
Here’s another interesting pasta-cauliflower scenario. I love Sally Schneider’s cookbooks, and in her latest book, The Improvisational Cook, she has a recipe for a cauliflower puree that calls for adding a small amount of dried pasta to the pot of boiling milk and cauliflower. The pasta, I guess, just helps thicken it up. you can’t even taste it. it’s delicious!
Amazing! Caulifower is just one of those veg that you know you should be eating more of, but can somehow never find a way to cook it that is both good looking and tasting. I may just have to give this a try! Merci.
This may be the first time in my life that I’ve actually found a recipe for cauliflower that I would eat with hopes of enjoying.
I am only mildly distracted by the fabulously goregeous picture of butterscotch ice cream below it….no fair, I’m either going to make this ice cream or be forced into a Haagen Daz run….
….so much for the poor cauliflower, I’m afraid it now pales in comparison to its richer, creamier neighbor.
-Suzanne
Suzanne has a point there :) Cauliflower or butter scotch ice cream? Almost a non contest. The pasta dish does sound like something to try, though. With a crisp white, I think it’ll be a winner!
I love cauliflower, but I could not even prepare this if my boyfriend was in the house. I do think my girlfriends could appreciate it though, so I’m adding it to my girlie nite menu list.
Thanks for reminding me about this dish. Cauliflower and pasta was a staple for my southern Italian grandmothers and I think I need to make some of this soon.
Now, if you really want to love cauliflower here’s what you do. First, steam or boil the cauliflower until just tender, or crunchier if you prefer. Drain and let it cool to room temp.
Then, make up a breading of dried breadcrumbs, lots of parsley, grated Romano cheese (Parmagiano just doesn’t have enough of a punch) and salt and pepper. Dip the cauliflower florets in beaten egg then the breadcrumbs and fry until golden brown.
For the complete southern Italian peasant food experience, do not throw away the oil and bits in the pan. (If you wish, add more dried breadcrumbs and brown them in the oil.) Then add some hot pasta and toss with more Romano cheese. Nothing is thrown away.
That was also done after frying up a batch of veal or chicken cutlets too.
I actually like cauliflower, though somehow avoid making it. Should have known Alice would come up with a way to make an over the top dish. Your pictures are great once again. I am going to make this for my healthy non-meat eater daughter.
You should be the new spokesperson for the Cauliflower industry. I bet they experience a sales increase after this post.
Mmm . . . after my trip to Chez Panisse, anything Alice Waters tells me to do or try, I’ll try!
Looks and sounds wonderful – I too, was never a really big cauliflower fan – but was transformed by this reieipe from Mario Batali…I know, I know, he can be a bit MUCH, but try this – its really easy, fast – and also makes use of high heat to cook the cauliflower instead of steaming it…
http://recipe.aol.com/recipe/ziti-with-tuscan-style-cauliflower/74746
Deb,
Can you imagine actually having Alice Waters in the kitchen with you? I’d forget how to cook, talk, act. I love this cookbook and this recipe. Glad you tried it. I think sometimes cauliflower is a hard sell. But this looks divine as usual.
Mary
I feel exactly the same way about whole wheat pasta, but I also make exceptions for dishes with cauliflower! I make a very good macaroni and cheese with half whole wheat penne and half lightly steamed cauliflower. Make the cheese sauce as usual and finish in the oven. It has the benefit of not only being a little healthier than regular mac and cheese but also flat out DELICIOUS.
Yes, yes, yes! Cauliflower must be sauteed on high heat. I just discovered this recently after years of steaming. It caramelizes beautifully, keeps its crunch and pairs well with so many things. My mind is open – I’m trying it with pasta! Thanks, Deb.
Mmmm. I was at Lupa once and had a pasta dish with cauliflower that had been sauteed with rosemary and red pepper flakes and it was stunning. Ever since then, cauliflower and pasta has been a favorite combination in our apartment. This looks stunning as well… thanks for reminding me of my love of this combination.
I’m a poor college student that doesn’t like cauliflower. But this description has made me want to drag out those pans that were bought for me freshman year and make a trip to the store… I think it was when you said you were going to make it again. We all know that doesn’t happen very often!
Ah, I think I will make this tonight, finding myself in possession of all of the requisite ingredients. Thanks.
Years ago I was at a workshop where Mark Bittman taught a pasta/cauliflower dish. It was a revelation, as was the yabbo in the audience who kept asking if he could substitute, like, margarine for butter — Bittman: “No!” — or turkey bacon for real bacon — Bittman: “God, no!”
Also, while plenty of whole wheat pasta tastes like a mouthful of wet sticks, Barilla’s Healthy Harvest pasta is fairly painless as far as that goes. Now if you have any ideas for making brown rice not only edible but delicious, please pass them along. This whole-grain diabetic thing is putting me off food entirely.
Oh wow, the cauliflower & walnuts combination must be wonderful! Plus it’s a nice way to use what often is “the forgotten vegetable” (cauliflower)
Looks fabulous, dahling!
Okay, I’m definitely making this tonight. Can’t face leftover corned beef & cabbage. But JANET!!! Your description of the breaded and fried cauliflower sounds so delicious! No garlic? I especially love the “peasant” note about the leftover oil with the breadcrumbs. When you think about it, of course they wouldn’t waste all that good oil! It makes perfect sense and it’s already flavored! I’m already kicking myself over all those times I’ve gotten rid of perfectly good sauteeing olive oil when I could have made that wonderful sounding pasta. I’ll be doing that next time I make cutlets or whatever. Thanks to both of you!
It looks delicious, but I just can’t get past the farty smell of cauliflower. I think it might be my least favorite vegetable out there.
Ooooh love the cauliflower. I make the world’s easiest soup from it, and love it roasted or sliced thin and roasted in lemon-butter-mustard sauce. It’s so great in pasta, too. I’ve been craving something very similar to this on the brain for a while, and I think tonight’s the night to follow through! The walnuts are a great suggestion and I have a big bag of lovely ones my mom brought from Oregon and put in my freezer. I’ll report in on my version on the Flickr, etc.
can’t go wrong with alice waters, ever. i actually really like cauliflower, your coring method will definitely help me out! whole wheat pasta doesn’t interest me much, but maybe it’s worth another try in the right dish!
There is something particularly appealing about this, although it definitely sounds a little dry at first. I’m not a fan of steamed cauliflower so this may be up my alley. I think red wine and ricotta cheese would be my only changes.
- The Peanut Butter Boy
You think that’s weird? I cook a cauliflower pasta which, in addition to the cauliflower, has raisins, anchovies, pine nuts and saffron… It’s actually an ancient Italian dish, and it really works… Since introducing it to my household about a year ago, it’s become such a firm favourite that we have it about once a week now.
Still, you can never have too many cauliflower and pasta dishes, can you? On the strength of your enthusiasm here, I’ll have to give this one a whirl… Looks fab!
Oh, gorgeous. I do love cauliflower a great deal. Thanks for posting this lovely recipe which is actually doable (!!!) on a student budget, thank heavens!
Roasted cauliflower is lovely as well — same principle, I guess, of avoiding that soggy boiled mess by caramelizing and all that. ;)
This sounds like my kind of recipe. Healthy, simple, fast with a gourmet flair. I’m changing my menu and making it tonight for my Tuesday Pasta night! Can’t wait. yum!
Sounds delicious. A good whole wheat pasta line to try is Bionaturae, an organic line imported from Italy, and pretty easily found in supermarkets. I much prefer it to Barilla Plus. It also comes in a wider variety of shapes.
It isn’t the cauliflower in this dish that would give me pause, it’s the walnuts. I’m generally a little wary of savory dishes with nuts in them (peanut sauce = yuck!), but this receipe looks amazing!
Congrats on the Real Simple shout-out, btw. I got all dorky-excited when I saw it!
WOW! I just got some cauliflower in with my shipment of produce. I have no idea how to cook it so this is exactly what I was hoping for. I also have feta and pasta and walnuts…… too weird.
This looks great- and I apparently now have to thank my mom – I had no idea cauliflower was boiled or steamed as we always ate it sauteed or baked in something yummy. My 4 year old loves it and clamors for it ( helped by the fact that occasionally we find orange or purple varieties at the market) This recipe will have to be a mommy-daughter kitchen project!
Funny, I just posted something similiar, only I used broccoli instead of cauliflower and baby potatoes instead pasta, but the general idea is pretty much the same. Yours looks so delicious, I’ll give it a whirl as soon as cauliflower comes back into season. :)
I love cauliflower (yes, even boiled… – I can hear you gasping!) but I’ve never considered pasta and cauliflower – I am definitely going to try this!
You are my cauliflower hero – Thank you, thank you, thank you – Finally, I will get my $$$ worth when cutting the stuff up!
The idea of sneaking things in as though they don’t belong and then trying to casually look the other way by smothering something in marinara is awful. To me, it is like the advice to substitute diet cola for sweetener in some recipe. yuck!
But I have been madly in love with cauliflower lately, and somehow we have amazingly delicious cauliflower here in Ghana. One night my husband and I did the cauliflower slightly caramelized with his classic ali oli (garlic and red pepper) and I was in love with that. I can only imagine the feta and walnuts and other touches in this one make it fabulous!
I am loving cauliflower and whole wheat pasta lately, too – that whole nutty/sweet/nutty thing, I guess. I like the cauliflower cooked till it’s a little softer, and then roughly smashed with a ladleful of pasta cooking water to make a rustic, chunky/creamy sauce – with garlic and crushed red pepper, and maybe a topping of oiled and toasted breadcrumbs, it’s killer.
You know, in Italian cooking, cauliflower is used a lot with pasta. Sometimes I think it is an overlooked vegetable but it is really delicious when prepared correctly. Alice Waters, of course, does it beautifully. Great dish.
wow, being a vegetarian all my life, I still haven’t used cauliflower in pasta!!:) guess it’s time to give this a shot now:)
I’m such a remedial “chef”! Can I tell you I have never bought an actual full head of cauliflower? I mean, I’ve eaten it on veggie trays and what not, but NEVER bought it. Tonight was the night. This recipe looked easy enough. I bought all the supplies and successfully made my first dish ever with cauliflower- wow! I was a skeptic until the end, it looks a little “beige” at first, but mmmm, the walnuts, the cheese. Heaven! Thank you so much for expanding my vegitable horizons!
THIS is fabulous!!!!!! Who knew cauliflower is actually worth buying?! Can’t get over it.. made this tonight as a side dish and nixed the pasta, subbed in goat cheese.. absolutely fantastic! Will be making this again soon.
Hmmm … this looks great. Any suggestions for a substitute for walnuts? I’m allergic, sadly. Other nuts are OK, though.
Sold!
my family does a similar thing, only with shredded zucchini instead of noodles- it is a good and tasty way to enjoy “pasta”. yeah, funny what works out as being good
Cauliflower and penne are a classic Italian combination. There’s a fabulous version in Batali’s Babbo Cookbook, an excellent cookbook to own, as you can make the restaurant’s dishes just as well (and cheaper) at home.
OK, not to be totally short bus on you, but the tutorial was muy helpful. Thanks!
I love cauliflower. I never thought to add it to pasta. I think adding feta cheese makes everything all right!
Just wondering what green sprinkle is on top.
Thanks.
I actually love cauliflower, whole wheat pasta, and yes, brown rice too…although there are some whole wheat pastas out there that are bad quality thats for sure (same goes for regular pasta). This recipe sounds delicious, my boyfriend hates cauliflower though so I think I will cut it in half. I have already emailed it to myself so I can pick up some cauliflower soon! Thanks for posting the perfect healthy and hearty weekday meal:)
AJ: maybe try some roasted pine nuts-I bet those would taste great. Or pecans.
That’s parsley. I’m not big on garnish but this just ached for a splash of any color.
Caulifower, feta, and walnuts. Some of my most favorite things. I think my boyfriend and I are going get hooked on this one. During my culinary school days, I did my internship at Chez Panisse, so I love making their recipes and remembering the sites and smells of the kitchen! Thanks for another great post!
What kind of whole wheat pasta do you use? I’ve tried a few brands and none really thrill me but I hear all the rumors that there are a few worth sticking with.
I love cauliflower with pasta–especially whole wheat. Besides delicious, what could be healthier. From the picture, it looks like there is something tomato-based in the recipe. Was an ingredient left out?
Yum this looks delicious. By the way, I also made your Indian Spiced Vegetables and they’re divine. Thanks for good recipes time and time again!
Have you seen the cauliflower/broccoli pasta recipe in the Zuni Cafe cookbook? It’s not dissimilar, but uses those breadcrumb pieces of cauliflower to great effect!
Wow, I ‘ll have to give this a try. Thanks again for an interesting recipe.
(Smacking forehead)
Pine nuts — of course! Thanks, Lyra.
There’s no tomatoes in it–the top picture just came out really dim.
I used Bionature. I remember thinking back in the day (the last time I tried to convince myself that whole wheat pasta tasted exactly the same as what I was used to) that DeBoles wasn’t bad either.
“I refuse to eat something that doesn’t sound good, great even, just because it is good for me and whole wheat pasta has also always been one of these things.” Amen! I’m trying to eat vegetarian more often and have had some lousy experiences with recipes with little merit other than they’re *Good For You*. Thanks for a peek into a better world!
I’ve been doing something strikingly similar to this with broccoli for years, but it never dawned on me to try cauliflower. I think I’m going to have to now!
I love cauliflower with pasta and this recipe looks delicious! Going to have to give it a try!
Yummy, I love cauliflower : ) boiled, sauted, roasted, it’s all good! Unfortunately walnuts make my husband’s tongue tingle and since neither of us knows whether that will one day lead to an anaphylactic shock upon walnut consumption… I’ll have to make it when he’s out of town. Bookmarked : )
Not a big fan of cauliflower, but I’m always looking for a new way to make it tasty since we have it growing the the garden. I will try your dish soon. Your blog is always so yummy looking!
I made this for dinner tonight. Delicious!! I did use the ricotta salata – yum. Great recipe idea.
I’m hoping for a sweet recipe coming!
This sounds delicious. There is also a light and tasty recipe in this month’s Food & Wine magazine for pasta (I used whole wheat) with cauliflower and leeks.
I made this last night – followed it word-for-word. I needed something to go with the pork roast I was making. My husband deemed it “weird” – ate a few more bites, and deemed it “weird” again – took a second helping – and mentioned how “weird” it was. Getting ready for bed several hours later – he brought up the weirdness of dinner… Obviously I will be making this again – I can’t remember the last time I got so many comments on one dish. The mix of flavors just has you shoveling it in and craving more. Even if it is deemed weird…
Thanks Deb – I would never have tried this if it weren’t for you.
Excellent recipe. Made it last night and we enjoyed it alot, though getting enough lemon and vinegar is important. Next time, I would add more of those two ingredients. The best part was the toasted walnuts and I’m not normally a walnut fan. Out of curiousty, what type of feta do you recommend and like best? (Cow, goat or sheep feta?) I know that some are much better than others. Thanks.
We really like both Bulgarian and French feta, but this was (I think) Greek feta that Alex’s mother had picked up for us at the… Russian store. (How’s that for a world tour?) It was much more firm and salty than the Bulgarian/French stuff. I wouldn’t have liked it in a Greek salad but it worked well here.
I’ve beat you to many of your recipes but by God, I’d never made this dish. Delicious. I’ve forwarded it to nearly everybody I know. I got, “Okay, if you say it’s good, I’ll try it but I hate cauliflower.” Argh!
Good catch. Thanks.
Tried the recipe twice so far. Once as prescribed, and a second time with four times as much garlic and a little chardonnay instead of lemon juice. I like it both ways, but the extra garlic was necessary. Try a similar cauliflower dish in a red sauce w/ basil and bay over angel hair.
Does not sound great but I will try because of a dish a friend made years ago that was memorable. My friend has lived in Italy for years and once while she was visiting we opted for eating in last minute. She cooked solo, a tomoto sauce over pasta that was incrediable. Everthing she used was in my fridge, the tomotes and spices were obvious but I could not place the other flavor. It was cauliflower sauted with tomotes low until they lost their color and texture, it mad the sauce rich and the taste was heavenly. She said it is common to use cauliflower in sauce white and red in Italy. I am a fan of Alice Waters as well as this site so I’m sur it will be great
Speaking of whole wheat pasta, I find a lot of it gritty and just plain gross. BUT the Whole Foods brand is delicious. And cheap. I won’t eat any other kind, and I prefer it to white pasta now. Try it.
made it
loved it
winner
I made this tonight (with ricotta salata and pine nuts) and it IS strangely addictive! I don’t think I got quite the right crunch out of my cauliflower (two heads — could that be right? I used one and could feed an army) but still it all came together nicely. AND, three children in my house ate it after approaching the table with fear and trepidation. That makes it a winner in my book.
Looking forward to The. Best. Ever. leftovers tomorrow! I have jury duty and am planning to take this with me rather than forage in the mean streets of Trenton NJ for some form of lunch. And if the jury room smells of cauliflower, oh well. Everyone can clear a space around me.
I made it last night. So yummy – and you are right… it’s all things I wouldn’t necessarily like, but somehow when they all get mixed together at the end. Can’t wait to eat it for lunch!
I have nothing new to add except to echo what everybody has been saying- OH MY GOD SO GOOD. I practically yelled at my best friend to make this dish. (And um I may have made your chocolate cake over this weekend and after having seconds of the pasta, I may have then proceeded to eat a very large slice of cake- Deb you are killing me)
Sounds wonderful and I’m going to try it. Another good way to cook cauliflower is to roast it – just toss with olive olive and scatter it on a foil-covered pan and roast at 400 until it’s browned and as tender as you want. If you want to gild the lily, then cover it with parmesan and run it under the broiler.
Definitely NOT your mama’s cauliflower (thank goodness!)
PS Same method works like a charm with broccoli or quartered brussels sprouts or chunks of green cabbage.
One of those awesome meals where I know I didn’t overeat, yet 3 hours later, I’m still completely satiated and not snacky. I used ricotta salata, which I’ve never tried before, and… honestly I think I prefer feta. At least now I know!
As for the pasta – I kind of hate whole wheat pasta. The taste is great, but that sort of grainy aftertaste (aftertexture?) ruins it for me. A few days ago, I picked up a bag of farro penne pasta by La Terra E Il Cielo to experiment with, and this seemed like the perfect recipe. As it turns out, I love farro pasta! The taste is hearty and nutty, like whole wheat, but with a much more pleasant texture. I’d highly recommend it.
Made this last night and it was a big hit! We halved the recipe for only 2 people and it made plenty. I went heavy on the walnuts and ricotta though, since I think those additions really made the dish something special.
An all-cauli version of the Judy Rodgers’ pasta, mentioned by Ben above, is a favorite in our house. We love it for the cauliflower and w.w. pasta, but also for the red pepper flakes, nicoise olives, parsley, and toasted fresh breadcrumbs.
I’ve owned the Chez Panisse Vegetables cookbook for years and have yet to cook from it. For shame, I know. I’m looking forward to making Alice Waters’ rendition soon.
Thanks for the inspiration!
Like Joanna, I made this recipe today with farro (spelt) pasta and it was AMAZING. Oh, and I used pine nuts instead of walnuts, and it was AWSOME. yeah, both amazing and awsome. Even the Husband ate it and that says it all. Thanks girl.
Great tip about cutting up cauliflower florets! I was searching for Sicilian recipes last week and came across references to the dish you saw on TV. Guess what’s on the menu tonight?
I LOVE this dish! I used feta cheese and it was just perfect.
I’ve been lurking on your blog for months, but never commented until today. I made this salad for a bridal brunch that I hosted. I added extra walnuts and several cups of lightly steamed asparagus. The asparagus was a great addition because it added some beautiful color but didn’t overpower the other flavors. It was the perfect recipe! Hearty but not heavy, plenty to go around, healthy and unique! Everyone loved it. Thanks, Deb.
I am enjoying this AS WE SPEAK and it is delicious! Don’t let the cauliflower deter you from making this yummy dish!
Thanks for the stellar recipe! I tend to doubt my instincts, and look for very precise recipes. However this week cauliflower is really cheap, and I love ricotta salata, so I tried it. It worked perfectly, or in any case I like the results.
I made this with everything except the pasta..I just wanted a veggie side dish and it worked great. Thanks!
Even more delicious with calabrese or tenderstem broccoli! I also used buckwheat pasta rather than wholemeal. thanks.
I’ll add one more word of praise. I made this tonight with feta, and halved the cauliflower and pasta but kept larger amounts of the nuts and cheese. I’ll probably make it again this week, we loved it so much. Thanks!
Thanks for posting this recipe… I was seeking inspiration, and Googled some of the stuff in my freezer & pantry:
brussels sprouts feta whole wheat pasta red pepper
… and thanks to someone else utilizing the BS, I saw this recipe, which I made using frozen BS (cut in half). No, I did NOT thaw them, just tossed them into hot olive oil, and proceeded from there. FANTASTIC.
So great, in fact, that I’ve just ordered the Chez Panisse Veg. cookbook, so thanks twice!
Oh my…for those of you who think you hate cauliflower…have I got the recipe for you. And it’s sooo easy. Turn your oven on to 400. Seperate your cauliflower into bite size pieces. Toss with just enough olive oil to moisten, a few cloves of minced garlic and salt and pepper. Roast it in a shallow, rimmed pan till it gets all browned and crispy..about 20 minutes. It gets sweet, salty, heavenly!
That was a great tip for chopping cauliflower! I always ended up with a lot of annoying crumbs but not this time. This recipe looks really interesting, quick & easy. I’m planning to try it on a day when I’m pressed for time.
Made this and LOVED it! And I hate cauliflower
Just made this. Am eating it right now, in fact. I love it. Yum!
This was wonderful! We used roasted garlic and goat cheese crumbles. We also added about a half cup of marinara sauce. We enjoyed the heck out of it!
I made this yesterday and it was pretty good. I think I should have added a little more olive oil because it was a little dry. I also thin it could have used more red pepper because I didn’t really taste it. But I have to say that I don’t know how on earth you could chop up 2 heads of cauliflower and fit both into a skillet for sauteeing. I used one (which was large but not unusually so) and my 14″ skillet was packed. Any more and I would have had to do the sauteeing in batches.
I made this last night, and will agree with Theresa about the amount of cauliflower. One head was more than enough. Mine didn’t end up dry, but it didn’t have the pizazz I was hoping for. Having no training in the kitchen and no real intuition for herbs and spices, I rarely stray from a recipe or start tossing things in willy-nilly, but I think some more spices or some kind of sauce would help this dish. It’s a lot of beige in the end, and though the ingredients are good, and the pepper packs a punch (I added an extra pinch), it just wasn’t that exciting. I did follow the recommendation of having with a glass of white wine, and that was lovely ;)
This was my first time making something from this site that was not a baked item (which have all been amazing), so I’m still practicing…
Good combination of pasta,walnuts and cauliflower seriously.
Just finished eating and had to pull myself away from the pan. Yum. I’ve never had ricotta salata before and it was terrific. I agree about the amount of cauliflower — it took a while to soften, and I added more olive oil as it cooked. I also added more vinegar and lemon juice than is called for and loved the result. What a great melding of flavors in my mouth.
Delicious! Made it tonight for my boyfriend and his parents, who happen to love cauliflower… and everyone went back in for seconds, and then continued to pick at the bowl! Only used 1 (large) head of cauliflower and added a little extra red pepper, and thought the balance was prefect!
My husband and I made this last week, and even our 1-year-old could not get enough of the pasta (we carefully avoided giving her any red pepper flakes). So delicious! It really brings out the subtle flavor of cauliflower.
Also, I really appreciated your tip (via Bobby Flay) about how to cut up the cauliflower. I was so impressed with how well that worked–it was like magic to me!
i just made the cauliflower part (no walnuts/pasta) and added a few springs of fresh rosemary and a tbsp of butter. holy smokes. it was amazing. what is it with cauliflower?
I just stumbled onto your blog, and I’m loving it =) I happened to make pasta this evening with steamed cauliflower and marinara sauce, and I must admit that even though it looked slightly strange, it was amazingly delicious. And I did half the normal serving size of pasta. Mmm. I can’t wait to try this recipe – it includes all of my favorite foods (cauliflower, walnuts, feta, oh my!). Thanks!
Thanks for this one – I made about 1/3 of the recipe – and still have plenty for lunch tomorrow. I’m a hospital chaplain – on call tonight until midnight – so couldn’t actually enjoy the glass of white wine with it – but I enjoyed the idea! So glad I found this site – I’m finally looking forward to cooking again.
This was seriously sooo yummy! I served this with grilled marinated chicken breasts. I’m trying to feed my boyfriend and I more veggies so this was a perfect fit. We both thought this was delicious!
this was a great dinner and lunch the next day :) It was really tasty and flavorful. hooray!
I came here by way of a Yelp DC thread about cooking. The first time I made this, I used fresh cauliflower but had undercooked the pasta. Tonight I just finished making the dish. I used frozen cauliflower but it still came out great! It tastes soo much better than my first attempt. Thanks for the great recipe!