Forrest gingold's penne con cavolfiore

4 Servings

Quantity Ingredient
2 tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil
1 medium Yellow onion; chopped fine
3 Anchovy fillets; chopped fine
¼ cup Currants or raisins
1 medium Cauliflower head
¼ cup Pine nuts; toasted
1 pounds Penne pasta
Salt and white pepper
Finely chopped Italian parsley

(Pasta Quills With Cauliflower) Soak raisins in hot water until softened.

Trim cauliflower and cut into florets; set aside. In a medium saute pan, heat the olive oil over a low flame. Add the onion and cook until soft and lightly golden brown. Add the anchovies and soaked currants and continue to saute on low heat for 8 to 10 minutes. In a saucepan, boil the cauliflower until very soft, almost mushy. Drain and combine with the onion/anchovy mixture. Add some of the cauliflower cooking water to the mix so that it doesn't get too dry. Cook the mixture for about 20 minutes more. Add ¾ of the pine nuts during the last five minutes. Cook the pasta to the al dente stage in a big pot of boiling salted water. Drain, reserving a little of the cooking liquid. Put the penne back into the cooking pot, add the cauliflower mix to the pasta and stir on medium heat 1 to 2 minutes to incorporate everything. Add salt and white pepper to taste. Use the reserved pasta water at this point if the pasta seems dry. Garnish with the remaining toasted pine nuts and chopped parsley. Makes 3 to 4 servings.

Recipe from Forrest Gingold, chef at La Pastaia in the De Anza Hotel, downtown San Jose, CA. Formatted by Lynn Thomas dcqp82a@....

Source: West Magazine, San Jose Mercury News 2-8-98. Lynn's notes: Made this 2-25-98; used anchovy paste and added 2 more tbsp. olive oil, ½ stick butter, cooked fresh asparagus and ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese.

This was a delicious dinner that made 4 large helpings.

Recipe by: San Jose Mercury News 2-8-98 Posted to TNT Recipes Digest by WWGQ25C@... (MRS LYNN P THOMAS) on Feb 26, 1998

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