Tag Archives: Marcella Hazan

Cauliflower pasta (based on a Marcella Hazan recipe)

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I wrote this recipe down a while ago. This pasta is a huge hit at our house, the only real work is breaking down the cauliflower. I love recipes that cook for a while without much intervention. The Marcella Hazan recipe adds a half cup of onion (in place of the garlic) and doubles the butter. Sacrilegiously, I like my version better. At the end, the cauliflower should be soft enough to break down. I remember a America’s test kitchen episode where they discussed how the grassiness of cauliflower goes away with a longer than 20 min braise. This is important in this dish

Ingredients:

1 head cauliflower- finely chopped into florets

4 cloves garlic

1 cup vegetable stock

1 can tomatoes

1 cup cream

2 tbsp butter

Melt the butter, add the garlic and cauliflower, let it sizzle. Add tomatoes, cook for 10 min. Add the stock- cook for 20 minutes till cauliflower is soft. Add cream. Add salt to taste.

Add pasta, top with parmesan.

The cauliflower, butter, tomatoes and cream get together to make magic.

Butter-Tomato sauce ( Hazan recipe )

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If I had to pick a favorite tomato sauce, it would be this one. Outstandingly delicious and just as easy, it also freezes really well. I always make a double batch. The original recipe is from Marcella Hazan, the queen of Italian cooking.

I just have pictures of the in-process sauce, I forgot to take after pictures. We finished the pasta so soon. I will take them the next time I defrost the sauce.

Ready for the recipe? In a pan, put 2 cans of whole tomatoes , one onion sliced in half and 6 tablespoons of butter and 1 tsp of salt. Heat at a simmer for 30 -40 minutes. Remove onion. End of recipe.

Recipe notes
1) I use san marzanos whole tomato cans – each can is about 400g and you will need to peel them if you are using whole tomatoes
2)yes it is nearly a stick of butter but it’s divided in about 6 portions and also yes butter is essential
3)the original recipe says to throw the onion away but it is a delicious cook’s treat with some salt and pepper

The butter and tomatoes and the juice from the onion create some kind of culinary magic, it results in a thick, finger-licking sauce. The original recipe doesn’t call for anything else. I sometimes add chopped basil at the end, but it’s not necessary. Toss with pasta, add parmesan. It’s food fit for gods!

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