Cauliflower Anchovies Pasta is a delicious Sicilian inspired recipe, with a savory taste given by the anchovies.
This simple recipe hits the spot not only for its delicious flavor and interesting texture, but also because it is an easy pantry staple dish ready in 30 minutes! Make this recipe and even the most adverse seafood eater will thank you!
Why you will love this recipe
– You will need 10 ingredients, salt and pepper included…that is it!
– It is a recipe that you can customize easily swapping herbs or adding spices.
– If your kids do not eat cauliflower…that is the pasta dish to serve them and they will fall in love!
Cauliflower Anchovies Pasta Ingredients
Pasta: for this recipe I used a short pasta called cavatappi, a cork screw shape of pasta that will collect better the bites of cauliflower. Other shapes are bucatini or rigatoni. The amount of pasta is usually 3 ounces for a main or 2 ounces for a side dish.
Cauliflower: is a nutrient-rich cruciferous veggie full of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals and it is in season from October until mid March. Find out more about the health benefits of cauliflower. They have a wonderful nutty flavor and are delicious when paired with pasta.
Anchovies: Anchovies are one of the classic Italian pantry ingredients small fish rich in omega 3 and very popular all along the Italian coasts. They taste pretty fishy and salty—which can make them overwhelming if you don’t know how to balance their flavor. Anchovies have also a umami taste, found in few Italian food such a olives and caper. Anchovies are typically filleted, salt-cured and canned in oil. I usually use anchovy fillets in olive oil, as they are already filleted and they are a bit less salty than the ones preserved in salt – aka salamoia a solution of water and salt. You can sub the anchovy fillets with anchovy paste.
Extra virgin Olive oil: a few tablespoons of olive oil will be the base for this delicious sauce.
Bread crumbs: A typical Italian method used to coat Southern Italian dishes. Make sure you use breadcrumbs that are plain and without any spices. PRO TIP:Toast them in a cast iron skillet big enough to arrange the breadcrumbs in an even layer. In this way you will obtain evenly toasted and crunchy bread crumb. I toasted them without oil, you could also add 1 tbsp of oil and when the oil shimmers add the breadcrumbs, in this way they will fry and become more crunchier. You can also make your own breadcrumbs by adding some stale bread cut into 2-inch-thick slices to a food processor.
Garlic: I used 3-4 garlic clove and I remove them, I prefer not to chop them in this case, but you can if you want a stronger flavor.
Salt: I usually go lighter in adding salt to the sauce as the anchovies are already salty.
Black pepper: a pinch of crushed black pepper will elevate the taste of cauliflower.
Thyme: A few fresh thyme leaves add a fresh touch to the dish, You can sub it with rosemary or fresh parsley if you like it.
If you want to add some spice to this dish go for a pinch of hot chili flakes, it pairs well with the cauliflower and the anchovies.
How to make Cauliflower Anchovies Pasta
Bring a large pot of water to roaring boil. In the meantime prepare the cauliflower. You will need a head of cauliflower of medium size: to obtain florets check out my PRO TIPS here.
Add extra virgin olive oil to a medium sized pan, when the oil shimmers add some garlic cloves and the anchovy fillets. Let everything them cook on low heat until the anchovies are dissolved. Remove the garlic cloves.
When the water boils, add 1 tablespoon of salt. Add the cauliflower florets and blanch them for 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon add them to the pan, continue cooking on low heat, stirring the pan from time to time. Add the pasta to the water and cook it accordingly to the package directions.
Bring a cast iron skillet to medium-high heat, add the breadcrumbs in a single layer and cook them stirring them with a wooden spoon for a few minutes until golden brown. Switch off the heat and transfer the breadcrumbs to a small bowl.
Now the pasta should be al dente, drain the pasta i and preserve a cup of the cooking water. Add the pasta to the pan where you had the cauliflower. Add a splash of the starchy pasta water, mix it until evenly coated add the thyme leaves and the breadcrumbs. Plate it. Mangia and enjoy it!
MORE DELICIOUS ITALIAN RECIPES FOR YOU
PASTA E LENTICCHIE WITH CAULIFLOWER
PASTA WITH SARDINES (PASTA CON LE SARDE): A SICILIAN RECIPE
EASY SMOKED SALMON MASCARPONE LINGUINE
MUSSELS SPAGHETTI WITH SPICY CHERRY TOMATOES
SHRIMP SCAMPI PASTA (ITALIAN STYLE)
WHICH WINE TO PAIR WITH with Cauliflower, Anchovies Pasta
A great choice would be Grillo. It’s a Sicilian wine, high in minerality that with pair well with the saltiness of the anchovies and will contrast the creamy taste of the cauliflower.
Ingredients
- ⅔ pound pasta whole wheat, fusilli
- 5 cups cauliflower florets
- 2 tbsp salt rock kosher
- 4 cloves garlic
- 3 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- 4 tsp anchovy fillet
- ¼ tsp salt kosher
- 2 tsp black pepper crushed
- 4 tbsp breadcrumbs toasted
- 4 tsp thyme fresh leaves
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to roaring boil. In the meantime prepare the cauliflower. You will need a head of cauliflower of medium size and divide it into florets (see notes).
- Add extra virgin olive oil to a medium sized pan, when the oil shimmers add some garlic cloves and the anchovy fillets. Let everything cook on low heat until the anchovies are dissolved. Remove the garlic cloves.
- When the water boils, add 1 tablespoon of salt. Add the cauliflower florets and blanch them for 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon add them to the pan, continue cooking on low heat, stirring the pan from time to time. Add the pasta to the water and cook it accordingly to the package directions.
- Bring a cast iron skillet to medium-high heat, add the breadcrumbs in a single layer (see notes) and cook them stirring them with a wooden spoon for a few minutes until golden brown. Switch off the heat and transfer the breadcrumbs to a small bowl.
- Now the pasta should be al dente, drain the pasta and preserve a cup of the cooking water. Add the pasta to the pan where you had the cauliflower. Add a splash of the starchy pasta water, mix it until evenly coated add the thyme leaves and the breadcrumbs.
- DInner is ready! MANGIA!
Notes
- to obtain florets check out my PRO TIPS here.
- PRO TIP:Toast the bread crumbs in a cast iron skillet big enough to arrange the breadcrumbs in an even layer. In this way you will obtain evenly toasted and crunchy bread crumbs.
Nutrition
Piatto particolare, molto invitante ed in assoluto uno dei piu’gustosi.