Aunt Lydia's Fresh Cavatelli w/Cauliflower, Almonds/Toasted Bread Crumbs!

Fresh Cavatelli with Cauliflower, Almonds and Toasted Bread Crumbs

Casareccie Vruocchele e Vredocchie

Serves 6

½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for the pasta pot

8- inch chunk day- old country bread (6 ounces)

7 tablespoons extra- virgin olive oil

4 plump garlic cloves, peeled and sliced

¼ teaspoon peperoncino flakes, or to taste

1 small head caulifl ower, cut in small florets (about 1 pound)

1 batch (1½ pounds) Fresh Cavatelli (or 1 pound dried pasta)

⅓ cup sliced almonds, toasted and coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

Recommended equipment: A large pasta pot; a heavy- bottomed skillet or sauté pan, 12- inch diameter or larger; a large bowl for tossing and serving the pasta

Fill the large pot with salted water (at least 6 quarts water with 1 tablespoon salt), and heat to a boil.

Grate the bread chunk on the coarse holes of a box grater into a mixing bowl; you should have about 2 cups of fluffy crumbs. Pour 5 tablespoons of the olive oil into the skillet, set it over medium-high heat, and scatter in the sliced garlic and peperoncino. Let them sizzle for a minute or so, then dump in the bread crumbs, and stir to moisten them with the oil.

Toast the crumbs for about 5 minutes, tossing them and shaking the pan almost continuously, until they’re golden and crisp; adjust the heat so neither the bread crumbs nor the garlic gets too dark. Turn off the heat, and pour the toasted crumbs and garlic into the serving bowl.

Meanwhile, start cooking the cauliflower and cavatelli. With the cooking water at a rolling boil, drop in the cauliflower florets, and cook them for about 3 minutes, until barely tender. Drop in the cavatelli, stir, and return the water quickly to a boil. Cook another 4 to 5 minutes, until the cauliflower is fully tender and the pasta is al dente.

Quickly drain them (you can empty the pot into a colander) and spill the pasta and florets on top of the bread crumbs in the bowl. Sprinkle over the bowl the almonds, parsley, and salt, and toss everything together well, until the crumbs and almonds are evenly distributed and coat the pasta and cauliflower florets. Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil all over, and toss again. Serve immediately, right from the bowl.