That’s been my mantra as of late. I’m still not having any luck at finding my next gig, so I’m trying to stay busy by getting back into working out, and cooking. And the latter demands the former!

I’m trying new recipes but also revisiting old ones, and even improvising my own thing every once in a while. I’ll share one of the more successful endeavors with you in my next post.

For now, I’d like to share one of my favorite sort of spring pasta dishes that combines sweet and savory with salty and spicy. It’s a pretty simple dish but absolutely explodes with flavor.

The whole recipe takes about an hour to prepare, depending on how toasty you like your cauliflower. And you can mix and match ingredients to your liking.

I came across this recipe a few years ago thru a great cookbook, Olives and Oranges, and I’ve sort of adapted and streamlined to my tastes.

Ingredients

• 1 medium head of cauliflower
• Olive oil, salt and pepper for roasting and seasoning
• 1 cup pitted olives, chopped
• 1/2 cup capers
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-2 Tbsp red chili flakes
• 1 1-lb box of pasta
• 1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan or aged Asiago Cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat your oven to 400. Core and cut cauliflower into small pieces. Place on a sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Cook cauliflower until slightly browned, about 40 minutes, stirring 1/2 way thru roasting time

Once cauliflower is cooked, set a pot of salted water on your stove top. Bring to a boil and cook until al dente.

In a large Dutch oven, heat olive oil and add garlic, stirring until garlic starts to turn golden. Add the chili flakes and chopped olives, stirring to combine. Next add the cauliflower and capers, just until combined.

Once pasta is done, drain and add directly to the pot. Stir to incorporate all of the ingredients. Add 1/2 of the breadcrumbs and the Cheese, stirring once more.

Finally top with the remaining breadcrumbs and Cheese and serve.

This recipe will feed about 6-8 folks, and it also freezes ver well.

Enjoy!