Pasta with Roasted Cauliflower

After a wintry afternoon spent chasing the kids in the backyard and building not one but two snowmen, this is the bowl of piping hot pasta we sat down to.  Good stuff.

Of course, everything tastes better with bacon, so Jerry recommends adding a bit of crisped prosciutto to the dish ….

Method:

1 head cauliflower

extra virgin olive oil

coarse salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 c. flat-leaf parsley, chopped

½ c. almonds

2 tbl. capers, chopped

3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

1 lb. spaghettini (or your favorite pasta)

½ c. parmesan cheese, shaved

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Core the cauliflower and cut it into 1 inch florets. Spread the florets in a single layer on a baking sheet, drizzling them with olive oil and seasoning with a good three-fingered pinch of coarse salt and a few turns of the pepper mill. Roast for 30 minutes, turning once at the 15 minute mark. Remove from the oven and allow the florets to cool a bit.

In a small pan over medium heat, gently toast the almonds.  Allow them to cool slightly before roughly chopping them.

In a food processor, combine the cauliflower, parsley, almonds, capers, garlic and ¼ c. extra virgin olive oil. Pulse to combine – the mixture should remain quite coarse.  Season to taste.

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and hit it with a fistful of coarse salt. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain the pasta and transfer it to a warmed serving bowl. Toss with the cauliflower mixture. Divide the pasta among plates, topping with the shaved parmesan and a drizzle of great olive oil.