Best Spaghetti With Cauliflower Almonds Tomatoes And Chickpeas Recipes

SPAGHETTI WITH CAULIFLOWER, ALMONDS, TOMATOES AND CHICKPEAS

Steps:

• Fill a large pasta pot with water and bring to a boil. Add salt to taste and cauliflower. Boil 5 minutes, then using a Chinese skimmer, a strainer or a slotted spoon, transfer cauliflower to a bowl of cold water (do not drain the pot; you'll use the water for the pasta). Drain the cauliflower and chop medium-fine. Set aside.
• (You can do this step while you are waiting for the water to come to a boil for the cauliflower). Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet or a wide saucepan and add garlic. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds, and stir in tomatoes with liquid, sugar, cinnamon, salt and oregano. Turn up heat to medium-high and stir often as tomatoes come to a brisk boil. Turn heat down to medium and cook, stirring often, until tomatoes have cooked down and taste very fragrant, about 10 minutes. Add pepper to taste.
• Add cauliflower and almonds to the tomato sauce, along with 1/4 cup cooking water from the cauliflower, and stir together. Stir in chickpeas.
• Bring water in the pot back to a boil and add spaghetti. Cook al dente, following timing instructions on the package but checking for doneness a minute before indicated time on the package. Set aside 1/2 cup of the cooking water from the pasta, in case you want to moisten the sauce more, drain pasta and toss with the tomato and cauliflower sauce and the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Add water from pasta only if you think the mixture seems dry. Serve, passing crumbled feta or grated Parmesan at the table for sprinkling.

SPAGHETTI WITH CAULIFLOWER, GREEN OLIVES, AND ALMONDS

Steps:

• Pulse olives and parsley in a food processor until coarsely chopped. Transfer to a bowl.
• Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then cook cauliflower with salt, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and red-pepper flakes and cook, stirring occasionally, until cauliflower is tender and garlic is golden, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Stir in water and boil 1 minute. Add olive mixture and cook, stirring, until heated through, about 2 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cook pasta in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta-cooking water. Drain in a colander and return to pot.
• Add cauliflower mixture and toss well, then add cheese and toss again. If pasta is dry, moisten with some reserved cooking water.
• Sprinkle pasta with almonds and serve immediately, with additional cheese on the side.