Recipes

Rigatoni with Cauliflower Ragu

CityHouse2017 95 2
Photo by Andrea Behrends

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yields

Serves 4

    Ingredients

  • For sauce:

  • 1 head cauliflower, cored and chopped into florets
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • ½ onion, grated
  • 5 garlic cloves, chopped
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 2 anchovy fillets
  • ½ cup white wine
  • 1 cheese rind (Wilson uses Grana Padano)
  • 1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes, crushed by hand
  • Salt and black pepper

  • For pasta:

  • Salt
  • 2 pounds fresh rigatoni or 1 pound dried rigatoni
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1 cup pecorino romano, grated
steps
  1. Make the sauce: In a saucepot over medium heat, sweat cauliflower in olive oil until tender and translucent. Add onion and sauté until soft, then add garlic and cook for 3 minutes, stirring regularly. Follow with red pepper flakes, oregano, and anchovies, and cook 2 minutes. Pour in wine and add cheese rind, cooking for 5 more minutes.
    Add tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring regularly and seasoning to taste.
  2. Make the pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season with enough salt that it tastes like seawater. Add pasta and cook until al dente. Reserve 1-2 cups of pasta water before draining. Return drained pasta to pot along with 2 cups sauce and ½-1 cup pasta water (or more if you prefer a thinner sauce) and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Toss with olive oil and ½ cup grated pecorino. Top with remaining pecorino and serve.
  • From Tandy Wilson of City House in Nashville, Tennessee

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