FOOD 101: Hate broccoli? No problem.

Anyone who knows me knows that I abhor broccoli. Reasons? The texture. The color, although I do like other green vegetables. I’ll blame my dad. A man of his time — a “manly man” — he urged his children to eat broccoli because it would “put hair on your chest.” This line of thought worked just fine on my brothers. (He used similar reasoning when recommending zucchini, green beans, carrots or anything deemed nutritious, but most often for broccoli.) So, I spent much of my childhood dodging vegetables, particularly that one. When I had kids of my own, and needed to feed the babies strained broccoli, I did so wearing an exaggerated smile while repeating, “Yum, isn’t this disgusting?” with each spoonful.

Over time, I discovered a substitute veggie: cauliflower. From the same family of cruciferous vegetables, its creamy color, smoother texture and floral shape rendered it more palatable. When cooked just right, the texture can be compared to cooked pasta.

The problem with cauliflower is prep work. In its raw state it resists the pressure of a knife. Cut and already separated florets are readily available at the supermarket, but dearly priced. Frozen versions, unless timed perfectly, can turn to mush.

Enter Mary Ann Esposito, host of the PBS cooking show “Ciao Italia,” and recently a special guest of the Current. After her presentation, she signed copies of her latest book “Ciao Italia: Plant, Harvest, Grow” and took time to personally chat up audience members. One attendee, a busy physician, asked for a recipe recommendation. The answer: roasted cauliflower. The technique outlined in the book simplifies the prep work. She cuts a thin slice off the bottom so the whole round lays flat in the pan, then microwaves it to boost the cooking process. Next she brushes it all over with an herb-and-spice mixture, and finishes it in the oven for just over 30 minutes. The outside caramelizes to a lovely color and flavor and the tender florets break off easily.

Mary Ann recommends using a cast iron pan for roasting. But don’t run out and buy one just to make this recipe: a heavy baking dish will do the trick.

The next day I got a text, with kudos, from the guest who requested the recipe. She’d already tried it out, and said it was easy and delicious.

See Esposito’s recipe here for the particulars. I’ve added another one that has stood the test of time in my own kitchen and culinary classes. The florets blend well with the pasta echoing it both texture and color. For a great gluten-free dish, skip the pasta.

Roasted cauliflower

From “Ciao Italia: Plant, Harvest, Cook”

Makes 4 servings.

1 medium-head cauliflower, outer leaves removed, base trimmed to allow the cauliflower to sit upright

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for brushing

¼ cup tomato paste

1 teaspoon dried oregano

¼ teaspoon red pepper paste or red pepper flakes, or to taste

Salt to taste

— Preheat the oven to 350 F.

 — Place the cauliflower on a microwave-safe plate and microwave it on high power for 5 minutes.

 — Brush a cast-iron skillet or pie pan with olive oil and place the cauliflower in the pan.

 — In a bowl, whisk together the oil, tomato paste, oregano, red pepper, and salt. With a pastry brush, coat the cauliflower all over the mixture.

— Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a knife easily pierces it and the head looks dark red. Cut into wedges and serve.

Pasta with cauliflower

Makes 6 servings

“Kitchen-ready” tomatoes, (listed that way on the can), are already processed to a smooth consistency. This saves the extra step of washing up the food processor.

The olive oil should lightly cover the bottom of the pot. Use just enough to soften up the garlic; be sure to discard it so you don’t bite into it thinking it is cauliflower.

The end result, showered with good parmigiano-reggiano cheese and a chopping of flat (curly has no flavor) Italian parsley, is best drizzled with a small amount of extra-virgin olive oil to amp up the flavor.

1 head cauliflower, trimmed and cut into florets

2 ½ pounds canned plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped

Olive oil to cover the bottom of a stock pot, and a little extra for drizzling at the end

1 clove garlic, peeled

Salt, pepper, to taste

Grated parmesan, to taste

Flat Italian parsley, chopped

— Puree the tomatoes in a food processor.

— Heat the olive oil in a stock pot. Add garlic and cook gently until lightly golden. Remove and discard the garlic. Add the tomatoes to the pot and bring to a boil.

— Stir in the cauliflower florets and 2/3 cup of hot water. Season with salt and pepper. Cover the pot and cook over low to medium heat for 30 minutes until the cauliflower is very tender.

— In a separate pot, cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and toss with the cauliflower-tomato mixture. Grate cheese over the top and scatter it with the chopped parsley.

Linda Bassett lived in Marblehead for years and has worked as a cook, trained up-and-coming chefs, studied food history and led food tours. Her book, “From Apple Pie to Pad Thai,” is about local cooks and cooking.