Ingredients

• 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)

Instructions

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