Roasted Cauliflower with Linguine

It seems like a such long time since we last had linguine.  The cauliflower in the fridge had been carefully selected for another dish but I wasn’t in the mood and decided last minute to make this.  I always have a bottle of capers and anchovies in the fridge so all that was needed was a bit of spice.  Dried chili pepper flakes are a perfect companion for this recipe.   Capers are an often overlooked garnish, but they make a tasty addition to Italian dishes of all types – used as a seasoning in pasta and salads.  Capers are a good source of protein, fiber and iron.  Cauliflower is an excellent source of vitamin C as well as a good source for folate, vitamin K and dietary fiber.  An easy vegetarian meal to throw together in 30 minutes.

Serves 4
small head of cauliflower, trimmed & cut into florets
olive oil
2 tablespoons capers
4 anchovy fillets, minced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 to 2 teaspoons chili pepper flakes (or more if you like it hot)
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
500g linguine

Preheat oven to 400f. In a bowl, toss the cauliflower florets with olive oil, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place on a baking sheet and cook 10 to 15 minutes or until cauliflower is al dente and bits of brown starting to show. Remove from oven and set aside. Cook pasta according to packet instructions. While pasta is cooking, in a large sauté pan add 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add anchovies and allow to dissolve in the oil then add garlic and chili flakes. Sauté until fragrant – keep an eye on this to make sure garlic does not brown. Remove from heat and add cauliflower, toss to combine.

When pasta is cooked, drain all but half a cup of the liquid. You may need to add this liquid to the pasta. Place sauté pan with cauliflower over medium heat and add drained linguine. Toss to combine and add pasta water if it looks a bit dry. Season and finish off with a splash of olive oil. Serve immediately.

The Culinary Chase’s Note: Adjust ingredients accordingly…I love the flavor of anchovies so I end up using more in this recipe as well as a bit more chili pepper flakes for a bit of heat. Enjoy!