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Farfalle with Cauliflower
Served with a crisp Winter salad
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Serves 4
Prep time: 15 minutes Total time: 30 minutes |
- 1 head cauliflower
- 4 fennel bulbs
- 1 bunch flat-leaf (Italian) parsley
- 1 bunch mint
- 1 shallot
- 1 lemon, preferably organic
- 4 oz. feta cheese
- 1 lb. best-quality farfalle, or other dried pasta
Shopping List
- Black pepper
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Garlic
- Sea salt
Pantry Items
- Chef’s knife
- Large stockpot or pasta pot
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Mixing bowls
- Paring knife
- Small skillet
- Strainer
- Whisk
- Wooden spoons
- Zester or Microplane
Tools
- Wine: Try a St. Chinian with this
- Dessert: Biscotti and fresh fruit
Suggestions
- When you walk in the door
- Fill the pasta pot 2/3 with water, add 2 tbsps. salt and put over high heat
- Get out Pantry Items
- Get out Tools
- Assemble the ingredients
- Open the wine
- Get someone to set the table – this one is fast!
- Prep
- Rinse the cauliflower, trim it, and cut it into florets.
- Trim the fennel bulbs (this means trimming both root and stem ends, and removing any outer layers that have brown spots on them).
- Thinly slice the fennel bulbs.
- Rinse and pat dry the parsley and the mint.
- Pluck 1/2 cup leaves from the parsley. Pluck 1/4 cup leaves from the mint.
- Peel 1 clove garlic, and mince it.
- Peel and thinly slice the shallot.
- Zest the lemon and mince the zest.
- Start Cooking
- When the water is boiling, add the pasta and cook until it is just turning tender, about 5 minutes.
- Put 1/4 cup of olive oil into a bowl. Add the lemon zest and the shallot, crumble in the feta, season with black pepper and toss. Forget about this for now.
- Put 3 tbsps. oil into a small skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until it is turning golden, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.
- If 5 minutes have passed since you put the pasta in the water, add the cauliflower, stir, and cook until the cauliflower is tender and the pasta is al dente, 2-5 minutes.
- Coarsely chop the mint leaves and stir into the feta mixture. Add the fennel, and toss. Taste for seasoning. Garnish with mint sprigs.
- Coarsely chop the parsley.
- Drain the pasta and cauliflower, saving some of the cooking liquid.
- Put the pasta and the cauliflower in a bowl, and pour over it the garlic and the olive oil. Add the minced parsley and toss until all the ingredients are mixed. Season with salt and pepper and take the pasta and the salad to the table.
- Don’t forget the wine!
