Cavatelli With Pancetta Cauliflower Recipes

CAVATELLI WITH CAULIFLOWER AND CHICKPEAS

Steps:

• Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large Dutch oven or wide pot over medium-high heat. Add the cauliflower in a single layer and cook, without stirring, until browned, about 5 minutes. Stir well, season with salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned all over and tender, 7 to 10 minutes. Push to one side of the pot and add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and the chickpeas. Cook the chickpeas, stirring, until toasted, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, red pepper flakes and a pinch of salt.
• Meanwhile, add the cavatelli to the boiling water and cook as the label directs. Reserve 1 cup cooking water and then drain. Add the pasta, butter and 1/2 cup cooking water to the Dutch oven and cook, stirring, until the pasta and cauliflower are well combined. Add the baby greens in two batches, stirring, and cook until just wilted, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove from the heat.
• Stir 2 tablespoons cheese into the pasta, adding more cooking water if the pasta is too dry; season with salt. Divide among bowls and top with the remaining 2 tablespoons cheese.

CAVATELLI WITH ROMAN CAULIFLOWER

Steps:

• Add 1 tablespoon of the salt and the cauliflower to a large pot of water and bring to a boil over high heat.
• Cook for 3 minutes, then remove the cauliflower from the water. Retain the water.
• Put half of the cauliflower into a blender along with 1 cup of the cooking water and 2 tablespoons of the oil. Blend until it turns into a puree. This will be the sauce for your pasta. You may need to add more of the cooking water to reach the desired consistency (as loose as tomato puree).
• Heat the remaining 4 tablespoons of oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the shallots, red pepper flakes, and anchovies. Saute for 1 minute.
• Increase the heat to high and add the reserved cauliflower florets. Saute for 2 minutes while stirring.
• Add the puree to the pan and saute for 30 to 40 seconds while stirring.
• To the pot with the reserved cauliflower cooking water, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of salt, return the water to a boil over high heat, and add the cavatelli. Cook according to the package instructions until al dente, 5 to 8 minutes.
• Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta, stir it into the pan with the sauce, and cook everything together for 30 seconds. Add a couple more tablespoons of the pasta cooking water for a looser consistency, if desired.
• Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cheese.
• Drizzle each serving with olive oil and serve with extra grated cheese for sprinkling.

CAVATELLI WITH PANCETTA & CAULIFLOWER

Steps:

• Bring 6 quarts of salted water to a boil in an 8-quart pot over high heat.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
• Add the pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pancetta has rendered some of its fat and is lightly browned but still soft in the center, about 4 minutes.
• Don't overcook the pancetta.
• Stir the cavatelli into the boiling water.
• Return to a boil, stirring frequently.
• Cook the pasta, semi-covered, stirring occasionally, until done, about 10 minutes.
• Stir the onions into the skillet and cook until barely wilted, about 2 minutes.
• Stir in the cauliflower and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower is wilted and begins to brown, about 4 minutes.
• Season lightly with salt and a little crushed red pepper.
• Pour the chicken stock into the skillet, bring to a boil, and lower the heat so the sauce is at a lively simmer.
• Cook until the vegetables are tender and the liquid is reduced by about one-half, about 5 minutes.
• If the skillet is large enough to accommodate the sauce and pasta, fish the pasta out of the boiling water with a large wire skimmer and drop it directly into the sauce in the skillet.
• If not, drain the pasta, return it to the pot, and pour in the sauce.
• Bring the sauce and pasta to a boil, tossing and stirring to coat the pasta.
• Check the seasoning, adding salt if necessary.
• Stir the bread crumbs, parsley, and remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in the pot.
• Cook, stirring and tossing the pasta, until the sauce is lightly thickened.
• Serve at once & enjoy!

FRESH CAVATELLI WITH CAULIFLOWER

Steps:

• Fill the large pot with salted water (at least 6 quarts water with 1 tablespoon salt), and heat to a boil.
• Pour the olive oil into the skillet, set over medium-high heat, and scatter in the sliced garlic. Let the garlic start to sizzle, then toss in the peperoncino and parsley; stir and cook for a minute. Ladle in a cup of the pasta cooking water, stir well, and adjust the heat to keep the liquid in the skillet simmering and reducing gradually while you cook the cauliflower and pasta.
• With the pasta water at a rolling boil, drop in the cauliflower florets, and cook them for about 3 minutes, until barely tender. Drop in the cavatelli, stir, and return the water quickly to a boil. Cook another 4 to 5 minutes, until the cauliflower is fully tender and the pasta is al dente (if you are using dried pasta, it will, of course, take longer).
• Lift out the florets and cavatelli with a spider or strainer, drain briefly, and spill them into the skillet. Toss well, to coat all the pasta and vegetable pieces with the garlicky dressing, then turn off the heat, sprinkle the grated cheese over the skillet, and toss again. Heap the cauliflower and cavatelli in warm bowls, and serve immediately.

HOMEMADE CAVATELLI

Steps:

• Mix together flours and salt on a clean surface, make a well in center, and gradually add 1/2 cup water and oil, working flours into center until a dough forms. (If dough is too dry, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time.) Knead dough until smooth and it springs back when gently pressed, about 5 minutes. Wrap in plastic.
• Sprinkle 2 rimmed baking sheets with semolina flour. Divide dough into 8 pieces; keep covered with plastic wrap. Roll one piece at a time into a long rope, about 1/3 inch in diameter, then cut rope into 1/3-inch-long pieces. Using tips of index and middle fingers, firmly press each piece and pull dough toward you so it lengthens slightly and forms a curl in the middle. Transfer pieces to baking sheets. Repeat with remaining dough.
• Cavatelli can be refrigerated, covered, up to 4 hours. (Or freeze on sheet; once firm, transfer to a resealable bag and freeze up to 3 months. There's no need to thaw before cooking.)

ROASTED CAULIFLOWER WITH PANCETTA, OLIVES AND CRISP PARMESAN

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425 degrees. Place cauliflower on a rimmed baking sheet and toss with 1/4 cup olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt until well coated. Roast for 15 minutes.
• In a small bowl, whisk together olives, garlic, lemon juice, 1/8 teaspoon red-pepper flakes and a large pinch of salt. Drizzle in the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil, whisking well.
• After the cauliflower has roasted for 15 minutes, add pancetta and cumin seeds to pan and gently mix to combine. Sprinkle Parmesan on top and roast for another 15 to 20 minutes, until cauliflower is tender, the pancetta rendered, and cheese is golden brown and crunchy.
• Spoon olive dressing all over roasted cauliflower while still hot and toss to combine. Taste, and add more salt, red-pepper flakes or lemon juice, if needed. Scatter parsley over the top before serving.