Author Notes
This is a simple dish made with interesting, flavor-packed ingredients – it hits the perfect sweet and sour note. Salty from the capers, a tad sweet from the dried currants, and tart from the lemon, we think it’s a hit at dinner parties (no sauce, no mess!). It may not be a 15-minute meal, but you can cook everything in sequence on one baking sheet. First, cauliflower caramelizes in the oven, and the rest of the ingredients are tossed in for a touch of heat at the end.
Community Grains whole wheat Creste di Gallo pasta is the perfect match. This elegant, deeply hued pasta has an earthy flavor that complements hearty roasted veggies. Other short, broad pasta shapes would work nicely here too. —Community Grains
Ingredients
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10 ounces
broad short, whole wheat pasta, like Community Grains Organic Identity Preserved Creste di Gallo Pasta
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2 tablespoons
extra virgin olive oil
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1
cauliflower, pulled apart into bite-size florets
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1/4 cup
dried currants or golden raisins (optional: soak in warm water 5 minutes)
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1/4 cup
capers
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1/4 cup
pine nuts
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1/4 cup
flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
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Juice of 1 lemon
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salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
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Preheat oven to 425F.
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In a large bowl, toss the cauliflower with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and sprinkle with a dash of salt and a good twist of pepper. Place on a large baking sheet and toss with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and dash of salt.
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Roast for 25-30 minutes, until cauliflower begins to turn golden brown and slightly char in some places. For crispier cauliflower, keep it in the oven for 30-35 minutes, careful not to burn.
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Meanwhile, bring a large pot of well-salted water to boil over high heat. Add pasta and cook according to instructions on the box. When done, remove from heat and drain. While hot, toss with a tablespoon of olive oil and set aside.
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When there’s about 5 minutes left on the timer for the cauliflower, add the dried currants, capers, and pine nuts to the oven. You can do this simply by tossing them with the cauliflower on the same sheet (less cleanup!) or tossing them on a greased baking sheet before adding to the oven. Remove when the currants begin to expand and let out juices and the pine nuts turn golden brown, about 5 minutes.
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Remove the cauliflower, capers, currants, and pine nuts from oven. Add everything to the pasta in a large bowl, squeeze lemon juice over top and toss to combine. Garnish with parsley and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
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