By Martha Rose Shulman
- Total Time
- 1 hour 15 minutes
- Rating
- 4(604)
- Notes
- Read community notes
You can add vegetables to just about any baked macaroni dish. Cauliflower works very well in this one, inspired by another Sicilian cauliflower dish in Clifford A. Wright’s “Cucinia Paradiso.”
Featured in: Calling All Cauliflower
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Ingredients
Yield:6 servings
- 1medium cauliflower, about 2 pounds, leaves and stem trimmed
- Salt to taste
- Pinch of saffron threads
- 2tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2garlic cloves, minced
- 3anchovy fillets, rinsed and chopped
- 114-ounce can chopped tomatoes, with juice
- Freshly ground pepper
- 2tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley
- ¾pound ziti or penne rigata
- 2ounces pecorino or Parmesan, grated (½ cup)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
326 calories; 9 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 49 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 13 grams protein; 685 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt generously. Add the cauliflower and boil gently until the florets are tender but the middle resists when poked with a skewer or knife, about 10 minutes. Using slotted spoons or tongs (or a pasta insert) remove the cauliflower from the water, transfer to a bowl of cold water and drain. Cover the pot and turn off the heat. You will cook the pasta in the cauliflower water. Cut the florets from the core of the cauliflower and cut them into small florets or crumble coarsely using a fork or your hands.
Step
2
Meanwhile, place the saffron in a small bowl and add 3 tablespoons warm water. Let steep for 10 to 15 minutes.
Step
3
Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet and add the garlic. Cook, stirring, until it smells fragrant, about 30 seconds to a minute, and add the anchovies and tomatoes. Season to taste with salt (remembering that the anchovies will contribute a lot of salt) and freshly ground pepper. Turn the heat down to medium-low and cook, stirring often, until the tomatoes have cooked down and smell fragrant, about 10 minutes. Stir in the cauliflower, saffron with its soaking water, and parsley, cover and simmer for another 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Step
4
Bring the cauliflower water to a boil and add the pasta. Cook until just al dente, a few minutes less than you would cook it to serve. It will soften further when it bakes. Drain and transfer to a bowl.
Step
5
Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Oil a 3-quart baking dish. Toss the pasta with half the cauliflower mixture and half the cheese and spoon into the baking dish. Combine the remaining cauliflower mixture and remaining cheese and spoon over the pasta. Drizzle on the remaining tablespoon of oil. Place in the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until bubbling. Serve hot.
Tip
- Advance preparation: You can make the cauliflower preparation through Step 3 a day ahead of time and refrigerate. Reheat and proceed with the recipe. The macaroni can be assembled several hours before baking.
Ratings
4
out of 5
604
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Private Notes
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Cooking Notes
Christa
I'm not a fan of gloppy, overly tomatoey and cheesey pasta, but nevertheless, the 14 ounces of tomatoes called for in this recipe is WAY too skimpy, and I ended up with a bowl full of pasta and cauliflower with a few tomatoes thrown in here and there and a light dusting of Parmesan. The cauliflower would have been more flavorful, I believe, if it had been roasted or parboiled only briefly, as David Tanis calls for in his Cauliflower Al Forno recipe.
Christa
My experience was the same--there's no way 14 ounces of tomatoes produces a tomato sauce as tomatoey as the photograph for the amount of pasta for which this recipe calls.
Wyattearp
If I made it again, I'd double the tomato sauce. Seemed scanty compared to the pasta, especially with the leftovers. I also added some mozzarella to make it a little more like a gratin.
Lee
I use kalmata olives rather than anchovies to make this a vegetarian dish. I also half the recipe except for the tomatoes.
Betsy R
This is unusual and excellent. The pasta turns out a little chewy and brown on the sides, but that makes it different and delectable. Do not expect the same easy "bite" to the rigatonis, as they are not smothered in sauce. Even my parents were complimentary!
Jen
Agree with other comments about tomatoes (should've read them BEFORE trying this recipe and/or followed my gut!). I roasted the cauliflower florets instead of boiling them, used anchovy paste instead of fillets, and added fresh mozzarella. Tasty & easy, but dry.
jgtx
It's good. Roast cauliflower, double sauce
jen
I made this with 28oz tomatoes, and I wouldn't recommend only the 14oz the recipe calls for. I roasted the cauliflower because boiled is too bland. I subbed anchovy paste (1 tsp paste for each anchovy) for the chopped anchovies. And I couldn't find saffron locally, so skipped that but added 1/2 cup red wine to add some liquid lost for the water from the soaked saffron. I didn't miss it, and this turned out great- even good as leftovers. A keeper.
Christa
I measured all of my ingredients, using precisely the amounts called for in this recipe, but I found the amount way too overwhelming and overflowing for a 2-quart pan--I had to move everything to a 3-quart pan. Sloppy proofing and testing as usual by the NYT. I generally find Martha Rose Shulman's recipes to be very reliable, but something was amiss in the pan size called for here.
HBN
After reading the comments I added another half-can of tomatoes and a layer of fresh mozzarella between the two layers. It was good and we have two thirds for a make-again - waiting for the 7 year old to apologize and come back to the table for a final tally. ;-)
Jennifer W
This recipe was a huge disappointment. I didn’t even use the cauliflower mixture. I was angry that I wasted precious saffron on this. Instead, I used jarred tomato sauce from Trader Joe’s and tossed with whole wheat penne, topped with mozzarella and shaved Parmesan, baked it for a half hour and it was delicious.
Chachkii
Used a quart of canned tomatoes and olives rather than anchovies — I thought it was surprisingly great!
Rebecca
This was pretty bland. Taking other recommendations I doubled the anchovies, tomatoes, parmesan, and garlic. I added some capers later to add some zing. . . but not a favorite.
Chris
August 2023- bland even though we grilled cauliflower and added extra tomatoes.Also added Italian seasoning, basil, oregano.
Sean
I didn’t have penne or ziti so I used fusilli and it was just fine.
Cheryl Swanson
I either don't like the anchovies or the saffron but i didn't like this dish much until i added italian sausage.
Sarah
This is a spectacularly good veggie casserole! I agree about doubling the tomatoes and Parmesan. Adding mozzarella is an interesting thought.
Katie
I substituted a 1/2 tsp umami flavoring from TJ’s instead of anchovies (I’m not a fan). It was delicious and worked well with the saffron. Doubled the tomatoes and added spinach, and mozzarella on top for a golden brown melt. Delicious!
OKKO
Doubled the tomatoes but otherwise followed the recipe. Bland and a waste of saffron.
PpR Journal
Replaced anchovies with a tin of sardines in olive oil and lemon. Great!
Abby
Thanks for these comments. I am going to make with double the tomato sauce and more cheese (and I thought about roasting the cauliflower first). It does not seem like the tomato sauce in the recipe is enough!
Jane Lori
I knew the 14 oz wasn't enough but did it anyway. I followed the ingredients strictly and found it so subtle as to be bland. If I make a variation of this, I will double the garlic, use 26 oz can of tomatoes, and add chili flakes.
Joshua
Double the sauce.
private note
I doubled the tomatoes and roasted the cauliflower as others had suggested. I also doubled the garlic and threw in some rainbow chard I needed to use up. Had no saffron; didn’t miss it. I didn’t add the second TBSP of olive oil at the end. I thought the finished product was very good, a nice, light pasta dish, not overly cheesy.
Yelly
Honestly, meh. Felt like a waste of a cauliflower
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