Pasta with Roasted Cauliflower, Arugula & Prosciutto

by Pamela Anderson
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 Serves four.

ingredient discovery
Ingredients orecchiette prosciutto arugula more
Kosher salt
One-half medium head cauliflower, cored and cut into 3/4-inch florets (3-1/2 cups)
1 pint grape tomatoes
3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
9 large fresh sage leaves
4 large cloves garlic, peeled
6 thin slices prosciutto (about 4 oz.)
12 oz. dried orecchiette
5 oz. baby arugula (5 lightly packed cups)
3/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat the oven to 425°F. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil.

Toss the cauliflower, tomatoes, oil, 3/4 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper on a rimmed baking sheet; spread in a single layer. Roast, stirring once or twice, until the cauliflower begins to turn golden and tender, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, pulse the sage and garlic in a food processor until minced. Add the prosciutto and pulse until coarsely chopped. Once the cauliflower is golden, toss the herb mixture into the vegetables and continue to roast until fragrant and the cauliflower is golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes.

Boil the orecchiette until al dente, 9 to 10 minutes. Reserve 1 cup pasta-cooking water. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Stir in the roasted cauliflower mixture, arugula, cheese, and enough pasta water to moisten. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

photo: Scott Phillips
From Fine Cooking 96, pp. 115a
October 24, 2008

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by cheflady, 6/18/2009This recipe is a perfect example of layering flavors and texture. The sweet grape tomatoes paired with the salty prosciutto and the peppery arugula is a mouthful of heaven. Then you've got the al dente pasta, melting tomatoes, slight crunch of the cauliflower, bits of proscuitto, and the slightly wilted arugula. The flavors of the garlic, sage, and parm reg are just right -- I was concerned about the amount of sage, too, but it's not overpowering in the least. Very pleasant. We managed to get 6 generous servings over two meals but I also served broccoli with it one night and a salad the next.
by SIMONEZ, 3/6/2009This pasta was pretty good, but could have had more flavor.
by dobrien4, 1/22/2009
by NancyFM, 1/13/2009This was a real surprise - yum. As I was making it I got nervous about the sage but once it's ground up with the prosciutto and garlic it just blends really well with the roasted cauliflower. I had some baby arugula and some wild spikey arugula and I don't recommend the wild, the stems are too rigid for this recipe. The baby arugula just gave it a nice color and peppery flavor and wilted perfectly. My husband couldn't get enough of this dish I will definitely be making it again. I don't think some people would even figure out there is cauliflower in this! It looks even better than the picture.
by FoodieNerd, 12/24/2008This is one of my new favorite pasta dishes. It is so easy to make and packed with flavor. The only thing I recommend is watching the amount of salt you add to the roasting vegetables because the pancetta adds a lot of saltiness on its own.
by papermom, 12/10/2008
by lwg, 12/4/2008
by Baier, 12/3/2008
by swpdmp, 11/9/2008This is a simple, yet delicious, recipe. I used a whole cauliflower because we love it roasted. Be sure to add lots of freshly ground black pepper just before serving.