PENNE WITH CAULIFLOWER, GARLIC, and OIL

Photo: Vicki (John's sister) blowing out her birthday candles; 

left to right, her brothers: Rick, Bob, John

Vicki and her husband Valerio

PENNE WITH CAULIFLOWER, GARLIC, AND OIL

From Vicki Troyer Bernardi 

1  1/2 lb. cauliflower

1/2 cup olive oil

2 large cloves garlic, peeled & chopped

6 flat anchovy fillets, chopped

1/4 t. chopped hot red pepper

1-2 T. salt

1 lb. pkg. penne or other pasta

2 T. parsley, chopped

Prepare cauliflower, remove leaves, clean and cut.  

Boil 4-5 quarts water and cook cauliflower until tender, about 25-30 minutes. Drain cauliflower and set aside.

Saute oil, garlic and anchovies. Stir until garlic is golden brown, mashing anchovies.

Add boiled cauliflower and break it up quickly with a fork into pieces no bigger than a peanut; mash part of it into a pulp.

Add hot pepper and a liberal amount of salt into the cauliflower and oil mix. Turn up the heat and cook a few minutes more, stirring frequently.  Turn off heat.

Boil 4-5 quarts water, add pasta, 1-2 T. salt and stir. Cook pasta according to package directions, or al dente.

Begin reheating cauliflower mixture.

Drain pasta. Transfer to a serving bowl.

Add cauliflower sauce and parsley and toss.

Serves 4-6.