Active Time

　　45 min

　　Total Time

　　5 hrs

　　Romanesco cauliflower — with its cone-shaped florets — has a more subtle, nuanced flavor than traditional varieties. The size of Romanesco cauliflower can vary widely, so we call for weight in this recipe rather than number of heads.

　　

Ingredients

Makes 6 first-course servings

　　2 quarts chicken stock (page 303; not canned broth)

　　1 teaspoon fine sea salt

　　2 1/2 pounds cauliflower (preferably Romanesco), cut into 1-inch-wide florets

　　1/4 pound spaghetti, broken into roughly 1 1/4-inch pieces

　　1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil (preferably Sicilian)

　　2 ounces finely grated Pecorino (preferably Sicilian) or Parmigiano-Reggiano (1 cup)

　　

Step 1

Bring stock to a boil in a 4- to 5-quart heavy pot over high heat and add sea salt and pepper to taste.

　　

Step 2

Stir in cauliflower and simmer, covered, until just tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in pasta and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 10 to 15 minutes (pasta takes longer to cook in stock than in water).

　　

Step 3

Stir in sea salt to taste and serve soup drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with cheese.