Pasta Cavalfiore

This is another one of my favorite ways to eat cauliflower. The saffron and sun-dried tomatoes provide great flavor. The recipe says it will feed 4 -6. I definitely think it will feed more like 6 - 8 (or a small army). Next time I will only make half the recipe. M ate too much snack this afternoon and wasn't terribly hungry. J ate the cauliflower and later M ate the pasta. Curtis and I both love this dish. It's flavorful and light.

Pasta Cavalfiore
1/2 c sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
1/4 t saffron, crumbled
3/4 c boiling water
3 T olive oil
2 c onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 t red pepper flakes (optional)
8 c cauliflower, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 t salt
1/4 c toasted pine nuts
1 T fresh lemon juice
2 T parsley, chopped
12 oz chunky pasta like penne or orecchiette (I used fusilli because that's what I had)
grated Parmesan to top

Place sun-dried tomatoes and saffron in a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Set aside. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente. Meanwhile, warm the oil in a large pot or pan. Add onions, garlic, and red pepper. Saute on medium-low heat for 10 minutes or until the onions are softened and lightly browned. Add the cauliflower and salt and saute for a couple of minutes. Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes, saffron, and their soaking liquid. Cover and continue to cook on low heat, stirring occasionally, until cauliflower is just tender. Remove from heat. Add pine nuts, lemon juice, and parsley. Keep warm until pasta is ready. To serve, mix pasta with cauliflower to distribute ingredients evenly. Serve immediately, topped with grated cheese.