2 minute read
St. Joseph’s Day pasta ..........Christa Glennie/Michael Franco
Recipe of the month
BY CHRISTA GLENNIE; RECIPE BY MICHAEL FRANCO
The month of March holds an assortment of important celebrations for a city as rooted in ethnic and religious tradition as Buffalo, and each of these important dates is accompanied by significant dishes and flavors. In the crux of the Lenten season, the steel town fish fry seemingly takes over our region’s casual restaurants. St. Patrick’s Day celebrations often inspire a massive corned beef outbreak. March 19 is, for many people of Italian descent, St. Joseph’s Day, a Sicilian celebration which is accompanied by a very specific menu.
Michael Franco celebrates St. Joseph’s Day each year, sometimes very traditionally and other times with a little culinary flair. He was kind enough to share with us this pasta dish featuring many of the ingredients that are found on what is called the St. Joseph’s Day “table.”
A COMMUNITY OF CARING
“I love pasta,” Franco blogs on his website, Live to Eat. “It’s a comforting, versatile food staple that is uncomplicated and quick to cook. It’s the perfect canvas that is stable enough to stand up to layers of flavors without losing its integrity and it can hold its own when paired with sauces ranging from a light garden-fresh tomato sauce to a luscious rich cream sauce.”
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For the garlic confit:
½ cup olive oil 6-8 garlic cloves thinly sliced ½ tsp red pepper flakes ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper ¼ tsp salt a few gratings of nutmeg
Simmer on very low heat in a small saucepan for one hour. Do not brown.
For the toasted breadcrumbs: ½ cup plain breadcrumbs
Gently toast in a dry sauté pan until nicely browned, stirring often. Set aside.
For the roasted cauliflower:
1 head cauliflower cut in small florets (about 8 cups) 1/3 cup olive oil ½ tsp red pepper flakes 1 tsp salt ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper 1/3 cup large green olives sliced in to 8 slices
Toss all ingredients (except the olives) on a sheet pan and roast in a preheated 425-degree oven for about thirty minutes, stirring every ten minutes. Add olives, stir, and roast for ten minutes longer.
For the pasta:
1 pound of any pasta of your choice
Boil pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Do not overcook.
For the garnish:
zest of 1 lemon ½ cup fennel leaves grated Romano cheese toasted breadcrumbs olive oil for drizzling freshly ground black pepper
To plate: Drain pasta and gently toss with cooked cauliflower and garlic confit. Spoon into warm pasta bowls and sprinkle with lemon zest, fennel leaves, Romano cheese, toasted breadcrumbs, a drizzle of your best olive oil and freshly ground black pepper to taste. FY
*Originally published March 2011
