Cauliflower is one of my favorite vegetables, and I regret that many people don’t sufficiently appreciate its unique flavor and nutritional value. This is not the case in Molise, where it is cooked often and creatively, as exemplified by the following two simple vegetarian pasta dishes. The first recipe, maccarun ch’i hiucc, is zesty with garlic and peperoncino.

　　

Ingredients

serves 6

　　1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for the pasta pot

　　1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

　　7 plump garlic cloves, peeled and sliced

　　1/2 teaspoon peperoncino flakes, or to taste

　　2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

　　1 large head cauliflower, cut in small florets

　　1 batch (1 1/2 pounds) Fresh Cavatelli (page 275), or 1 pound dried pasta

　　1 cup freshly grated pecorino (or half pecorino and half Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano, for a milder flavor)

　　

RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT

A large pasta pot; a heavy-bottomed skillet or sauté pan, 12-inch diameter or larger

　　

Step 1

Fill the large pot with salted water (at least 6 quarts water with 1 tablespoon salt), and heat to a boil.

　　

Step 2

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.

　　

Step 3

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).

　　

Step 4

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.

　　Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and Tanya Bastianich Manuali. Copyright © 2009 Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and Tanya Bastianich Manuali. Published by Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved.Lidia Mattichio Bastianich is the author of four previous books, three of them accompanied by nationally syndicated public television series. She is the owner of the New York City restaurant Felidia (among others), and she lectures on and demonstrates Italian cooking throughout the country. She lives on Long Island, New York.Tanya Bastianich Manuali, Lidia’s daughter, received her Ph.D. in Renaissance history from Oxford University. Since 1996 she has led food/wine/art tours. She lives with her husband and children on Long Island.