Rigatoni With Cauliflower And Tomato Sauce Recipes

RIGATONI AND CAULIFLOWER AL FORNO

Steps:

• Cook the rigatoni in well-salted water according to package directions, but drain while still quite al dente. (If directions call for 12 minutes cooking, cook for 10 instead.) Rinse pasta with cool water, then drain again and set aside.
• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Cut cauliflower in half from top to bottom. Cut out tough core and stem any extraneous leaves. Lay cauliflower flat side down and cut crosswise into rough 1/4-inch slices. Break into smaller pieces.
• Put 3 tablespoons olive oil in a wide skillet over high heat. Add cauliflower slices, along with any crumbly pieces, in one layer. (Work in batches if necessary.) Let cauliflower brown and caramelize for about 2 minutes, then turn pieces over to brown the other side. Cook for another 2 minutes, or until the cauliflower is easily pierced with a fork. It's fine if some pieces don't brown evenly. Season generously with salt and pepper. Add capers, garlic, red pepper flakes, chopped sage, sage leaves and lemon zest and stir to coat.
• Put cooked cauliflower mixture in a large mixing bowl. Add cooked rigatoni and fontina and toss. Transfer mixture to a lightly oiled baking dish. Top with Romano cheese, then with bread crumbs and drizzle with about 1 tablespoon olive oil. (Dish may be completed to this point up to several hours in advance and kept at room temperature, covered.)
• Bake, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, until top is crisp and golden. Sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley before serving.

BAKED RIGATONI WITH CAULIFLOWER IN A SPICY PINK SAUCE

Steps:

• Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 450°F. Bring a pot of well-salted water to boil in a large pot with a pasta insert. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with 1 Tbs. olive oil. Pour off 1 cup of juice from one of the cans of tomatoes and discard it. In a blender or food processor, purée both cans of tomatoes with their remaining juice and set aside. Heat the remaining 2 Tbs. olive oil in a 6- to 8-qt. Dutch oven or heavy-based pot over medium-high heat. When the oil is shimmering, about 1 minute, add the onions and 1/4 tsp. of the salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until nicely browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Push the onions to the side of the Dutch oven with a wooden spoon and add the garlic. Cook until it just starts to sizzle and becomes fragrant, about 10 seconds. Add the puréed tomatoes and cream (be careful; it will splatter), plus the remaining 1 tsp. salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce to a gentle simmer, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, so that the sauce thickens slightly. Add the parsley and the red pepper flakes, and cook until the flavors are melded, about 5 minutes more. Taste for salt and pepper and remove from the heat. Meanwhile, when the salted water comes to a boil, cook the rigatoni until it's al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain the pasta by lifting out the insert and leaving the water in the pot. Add the pasta to the sauce. Return the water to a boil (with the pasta insert in the pot) and cook the cauliflower until barely tender, about 2 minutes. Drain and add it to the sauce. Add 1-1/2 cups of the shredded Fontina to the pasta mixture and toss well. Transfer to the prepared baking dish and spread evenly. Top the pasta with the remaining 1 cup Fontina and then the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Bake uncovered until the cheese is golden brown, about 15 minutes. Let the pasta rest for 10 minutes before serving.

RIGATONI AL FORNO WITH CAULIFLOWER AND BROCCOLI RABE

Steps:

• Make the béchamel: Put the olive oil and flour in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and whisk together. Let mixture sizzle without browning for 1 minute. Whisk in milk 1 cup at a time, letting it come up to a simmer and begin to thicken before adding the next cup. Repeat until all the milk has been added.
• When the sauce has thickened to the consistency of a milkshake, turn heat to low. Add 1 teaspoon salt and a pinch of pepper. Add the nutmeg and bay leaf, and cook for 10 minutes, whisking occasionally. Check seasoning and adjust. Turn off heat and keep sauce warm. (If sauce thickens upon sitting, thin with a little more milk.)
• Make the tomato sauce: In a small saucepan, put tomatoes, onion, garlic, olive oil, bay leaf or basil, and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, then turn down heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Transfer mixture to a blender (remove bay leaf before blending but leave in basil, if using). Purée to a velvety consistency and return to the saucepan. Taste and adjust seasoning. Keep sauce warm, or let cool and reheat before serving.
• Make the pasta: Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the rigatoni and cook until nearly done, about 2 minutes less than package directions, leaving the pasta still quite firm. Lift pasta from the water with a spider or large strainer, and spread it out on a baking sheet to cool.
• Add cauliflower to pot and cook until barely softened, 1 minute. Lift from the water with a spider or large strainer and spread out to cool on a baking sheet.
• Add the broccoli rabe and cook until just wilted, 1 minute, then drain in a colander. Rinse with cool water, then squeeze into a ball.
• Put cauliflower and broccoli rabe into the empty pasta pot. Add garlic, rosemary and red-pepper flakes, and stir together. Season with salt and pepper, and drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil.
• Add the béchamel and the rigatoni. Mix well with the cauliflower and broccoli rabe. Add the provolone and Pecorino Romano, and mix well again.
• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Pile the pasta mixture into an oiled 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Bake until nicely browned and crisp on top, about 40 minutes. Leave to rest for 10 minutes before serving. (Alternatively, refrigerate the assembled dish for up to 6 hours and bake later. Bring to room temperature before baking.)
• To serve, put a large spoonful of pasta into individual bowls or plates, making sure each portion has some of the crisp top. Spoon some tomato sauce around each portion and sprinkle with more grated cheese.

ITALIAN CASSEROLE (RIGATONI AND CHEESE WITH TOMATO SAUCE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook rigatoni according to package directions until al dente; drain.
• Combine tomato sauce with seasonings, and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minuntes.
• Add sauce to pasta and toss to coat.
• In a baking dish, arrange pasta and cheese in layers, ending with cheese.
• Pour melted butter over all.
• Bake, covered, for 15 minutes.
• Uncover, and bake for another 15 minutes.
• To freeze: Undercook pasta by a minute or two. Assemble dish as directed. Wrap with plastic wrap and then foil. Label and freeze.
• To serve: Thaw in fridge. Remove plastic wrap and recover with foil. Bake as directed for 20 minutes. Then uncover and bake 15 more minutes.

RIGATONI WITH CAULIFLOWER AND TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Prepare the pasta using the package directions, omitting the salt and oil. Drain well in a colander. Set aside.
• Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat, swirling to coat the bottom. Stir in the cauliflower, parsley, onion, basil, and garlic. Cook, covered, for 10 minutes, or until the vegetables release some liquids, stirring occasionally.
• Stir in the remaining sauce ingredients. Increase the heat to medium high and bring to a boil, covered. Cook at a medium boil for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the cauliflower is tender, stirring occasionally.
• Pour the pasta into a large bowl. Spoon half the sauce over the pasta. Using two spoons, toss to coat. Spoon the remaining sauce over the pasta. Sprinkle with the Parmesan.
• (Per Serving)
• Calories: 388
• Total Fat: 7.5g
• Saturated: 1.5g
• Trans: 0.0g
• Polyunsaturated: 1.5g
• Monounsaturated: 3.5g
• Cholesterol: 1mg
• Sodium: 472mg
• Carbohydrates: 64g
• Fiber: 7g
• Sugars: 13g
• Protein: 12g
• Dietary Exchanges
• 4 Starch
• 1 Vegetable
• 1 Fat

RIGATONI WITH CAULIFLOWER AND TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• FOR PINE NUTS: In a small frying pan, toast the pine nuts over moderately low heat, stirring frequently, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Or toast them in a 350 degree F oven for 5 to 10 minutes.
• FOR CAULIFLOWER AND TOMATO SAUCE: In a large frying pan, heat the oil over moderately low heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, stirring, about 30 seconds. Increase the heat to moderate. Add the cauliflower, tomatoes, raisins, water and salt and bring the sauce to a simmer. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the cauliflower is very tender, about 10 minutes.
• FOR PASTA: In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the rigatoni until just done, about 14 minutes.
• TO SERVE: Drain the rigatoni and toss with the pine nuts, cauliflower sauce, basil, Parmesan and pepper. Serve with additional Parmesan.