Cauliflower Pasta with Creme Fraiche and Olives
If you're in a cooking rut and dreaming of a dish at the intersection of practical and simple yet also playful and satisfying, this one-pot noodle recipe will surely become your new favorite. It's a flirty and elegant blend of crisp-chewy yuba skins (a current obsession of mine, though you can use pasta instead), cauliflower, meaty green olives, crème fraiche and za'atar.
This is the perfect meal to make for one (as I often do when my partner's away), for a simple but romantic dinner, or an intimate gathering of a few friends who appreciate the finer details of food.
Cauliflower Pasta with Crème Fraiche & Green Olives
Serves 4
Notes: Yuba is used as the “pasta” here, though regular pasta (preferably egg noodles) could be substituted. Yuba is tofu skin. It’s formed from the cream and protein that rise to the surface and create a skin when soybeans are boiled in water. Yuba is often sold flavored. If you can't find plain, rinse well in a colander under running water to remove flavor. Pat dry before adding to skillet. (I like using these Yuba noodles from Whole Foods, rinsed.) If you don't have za'atar, use half the amount of dried thyme or a combo of dried thyme and sesame seeds or a few pinches of ground coriander or red pepper flakes.
8 oz / 227 gr yuba skins (sold as noodles or sheets) or dried pasta
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
fine grain sea salt
12 oz /340 gr cauliflower, cut into small florets
15 medium or large green olives, sides cut away from pit (preferably sold in a jar or in the deli)
4 Tbsp. creme fraiche, plus more for serving
2 tsp. za'atar
If you're using yuba sheets, cut them into 1/2-inch strips and separate the "noodles" into single layers, creating a light, airy tangle of yuba. Heat 1 1/2 Tbsp. of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and pan-fry the yuba with a generous pinch of salt for about 7 minutes, until the edges of the yuba take on a nice amount of color and crisp up some. Remove from the pan and set aside. (Alternatively, if you're using pasta, cook until al dente - usually a few minutes shy of package instructions - in well-salted water. Drain and set aside.)
To cook the cauliflower, heat the remaining 1 1/2 Tbsp. of olive oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cauliflower and a pinch of salt and saute, stirring occasionally, until the edges brown. To speed up the cooking process, you can add a splash of water and cover to steam for a few minutes, until crisp tender. About 30 seconds before you think the cauliflower will be cooked, stir in the olives. Remove from the heat, wait about 10 seconds, then stir in the creme fraiche. Add yuba skins or pasta and use tongs to combine. Serve, sprinkled generously with za'atar and drizzled with extra creme fraiche.
*For a gluten-and-dairy-free alternative:
Yuba is a soybean product and naturally gluten free. Be aware that some, not all, yuba sheets or noodles are sold seasoned with miso that contain gluten. Check the package to ensure it says gluten free, if you need it to be. Or use a gluten-free pasta/noodle of choice.
For a dairy-free free version, replace crème fraiche with a yogurt tahini sauce, using plain coconut yogurt.
*Recipe slightly adapted from Heidi’s Near & Far cookbook