Fregola salad with roast spiced cauliflower, saffron, dates and olives
Elly McCausland serves up an imaginative fregola pasta salad of green olive, Medjool date and spiced roasted cauliflower.
- Total:
Ingredients
- 1cauliflower, broken into 1 inch pieces
- 2tbsp of boiling water
- 1pinch of saffron
- ½tsp smoked paprika
- 1red onion, thinly sliced
- 150g of fregola, or giant couscous
- ½lemon, juice only
- 3tbsp of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped, plus extra to garnish
- 4Medjool dates, stoned and finely chopped
- 70g of green olives, preferably Crespo pitted green olives with herbs and garlic
- 3tbsp of olive oil
- salt
- black pepper
Instructions
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6Step 2
Mix the saffron with the boiling water in a large bowl. Toss with the cauliflower, 1 tbsp of the olive oil, the smoked paprika and a generous amount of salt and pepper. Add the onion and mix againStep 3
Spread the cauliflower and onion out on a large baking tray and roast for 25–30 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden and slightly crispy around the edgesStep 4
Meanwhile, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Cook the fregola or giant couscous in the boiling water according to the packet instructions (for around 7 minutes) until just al dente. When ready, drain and set asideStep 5
When the cauliflower is cooked add the fregola, lemon juice, parsley, dates and olives to the roasting tray and mix well to combine. Drizzle over the remaining olive oil and mix wellStep 6
To serve, divide the pasta salad between bowls and garnish with the extra chopped parsley. Serve immediately, or chill and eat cold – this makes good packed lunches