Big baroque-looking heads of cauliflower, some creamy white and others tinged with pink, were piled high in the markets in Sicily one fall, so I wasn’t at all surprised to find them included in our lunch when I visited the home of a family of cheese makers near Ragusa. After touring their immaculate small dairy and tasting their creamy ricotta, we sat down to steaming bowls of pasta baked with fresh cauliflower just harvested from a neighbor’s garden. The
mild cauliflower is the perfect foil for the sharpness of Pecorino and the creaminess of ricotta.

Bow Ties Baked with Cauliflower and Cheese is a delicious and comforting pasta dish that combines tender cauliflower with rich cheese and perfectly cooked farfalle pasta. This recipe begins by sautéing onions until golden and then adding cauliflower, which is cooked until tender and slightly browned. The farfalle pasta is cooked separately and then combined with a creamy mixture of whole-milk ricotta and the reserved pasta water. Layered with the cauliflower mixture and generously sprinkled with freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese, the pasta is baked until the bread crumb topping turns golden and crispy. The result is a flavorful and satisfying casserole that brings together the creaminess of the cheese, the nuttiness of the bread crumbs, and the subtle sweetness of the cauliflower. Bow Ties Baked with Cauliflower and Cheese is a hearty and comforting dish that is perfect for family dinners or special occasions.

Serves 6 to 8

INGREDIENTS

• 1 large onion
• ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium cauliflower, trimmed and chopped into ½-inch pieces (about 5 cups)
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 12 ounces farfalle
• 1 (15-ounce) container whole-milk ricotta
• 1 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano
• ½ cup plain dry bread crumbs

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Oil a 13- ×-9- ×-2-inch baking dish.
3. In a large skillet, cook the onion in ¼ cup of the oil over medium heat, stirring often, until golden, about 5 minutes.
4. Add the cauliflower and salt and pepper to taste, stir well, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower is tender and just beginning to brown, about 15 minutes.
5. Remove the skillet from the heat.
6. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
7. Add the farfalle to the boiling water, stir well, and cook, stirring frequently, until almost but not quite al dente.
8. Scoop out ½ cup of the cooking water and pour it into a large bowl.
9. Drain the farfalle.
10. Whisk the ricotta into the hot pasta water until well combined.
11. Stir in the cooked farfalle, making sure it is evenly coated with the ricotta mixture.
12. Spread half of the pasta mixture in the prepared baking dish.
13. Spoon the cauliflower mixture over the pasta.
14. Sprinkle ½ cup of the grated Pecorino Romano cheese over the cauliflower.
15. Spread the remaining pasta mixture on top.
16. In a small bowl, toss the bread crumbs with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
17. Add the remaining ½ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese and salt to taste to the bread crumb mixture, and sprinkle it evenly over the top of the pasta.
18. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the bread crumbs are golden and the pasta is heated through.
19. Serve the dish hot and enjoy!