Pipette with Romanesco

One of my favorite things to do is to go to the Sunday Market – for some reason it reminds me of NYC (probably because I used to go to the Union Square Greenmarket all the time).

Although the pickings become slim as the weather gets colder, there’s still plenty of good stuff to be had, such as this item that I picked up this past Sunday:



Romanesco is a member of the species to which broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower belong, but it totally looks like it’s from another planet because of its bright green color and because the buds on its florets are arranged in an awesome fractal pattern – ok, I just revealed how nerdy I am. On the plate, it tastes similar to regular cauliflower (it’s actually more tender and slightly sweeter than the regular kind), so it’s really nothing to be afraid of.

Pipette with Romanesco
(serves 2-3)

1 tablespoon capers
1 small head Romanesco broccoli, cut into florets (about 3 cups)
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
¼ teaspoon salt
½ pound dry pipette pasta (or any other small shaped pasta)
6 cloves roasted garlic*
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 teaspoons lemon zest
¼ cup chopped picholine olives
3-4 tablespoons shaved parmigiano-reggiano cheese (optional, but it really does make the dish better)

* I usually have roasted garlic in my fridge. It’s so simple to prepare and the taste is sweeter and milder than fresh garlic. All you need to do is wrap an entire head in aluminum foil and stick it in a hot oven – I usually do this when I’m baking or roasting something else, so the temperature is either 350 or 400 – and let it sit there for about 45 minutes.

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Heat an oven to 400° F.

Soak the capers in a small bowl of warm water for 25-30 minutes, changing the water once. Drain the capers and reserve them in a small bowl.

Toss the Romanesco florets with 2 tablespoons of the oil and the salt. Spread them onto a foil-lined baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes.

In the meantime, cook the pasta in salted water according to package directions. Drain the pasta and transfer it to a large bowl.

In a small bowl, mash the garlic cloves. Mix in the parsley and lemon zest.

To the bowl with the pasta, add the romanesco florets, capers, garlic mixture, and olives. Toss to combine. Top each serving with the shaved cheese.