Melted Cauliflower Pasta with Lemon and Capers

The perfect weeknight pasta. Light yet somehow decadent, quick and easy to boot. With a little prep, sauce comes together in the time that it takes to boil the pasta. Pairs perfectly with a mild protein like chicken or white flesh fish.

The name says it all, cauliflower florets are roasted with garlic and shallot until they literally melt, then finished with lemon and capers before getting tossed with pasta (jovial foods cassava pasta is the real MVP here). Like a piccata but better. The cauliflower and shallots get caramelized before the addition of pasta and a bit of reserved water which helps to coat the pasta and let the cauliflower break down a little bit. The lemon juice and zest marry with the brightness from the capers for a real party in your mouth kind of meal. Serve with your favorite protein and a simple side salad for a complete meal!

Ingredients

1 med head cauliflower, broken down into pretty small florets. (About 3 cups)

2 medium shallots, thinly sliced

4 cloves garlic, crushed and roughly chopped

1/4 cup olive oil or 2T olive oil, 2T bacon fat

1/4 cup garlic confit, if you fancy

1 tsp salt

2T brined capers

1 lemon, juice and zest

1 /2 bunch parsley, finely chopped

1- 10oz box spaghetti or linguine (jovial cassava pasta is AIP compliant)

1T salt for the pasta water

Method

Start cooking pasta, if using cassava pasta it takes quite a while to soften and fall into the water, so I have found that its best to cook in a large deep sided skillet, or break the noodles in half. Cook the pasta only to al dente, reserve at least 1 cup of pasta water for the sauce.

For the sauce-Heat a large skillet over medium-high, warm the fat(s) and add garlic and shallot. Saute until softened and fragrant. Add cauliflower florets, you really want them quite small, more surface area for caramelization you know ;) Toss to coat the cauliflower with fat. Season with salt. Continue cooking until things start to get golden and the cauliflower has begun to soften and fall apart a little.

Add al dente pasta and reserved water to the Cauliflower and shallot mixture, toss gently with tongs to evenly coat the pasta in the sauce. It’s done when the pasta is finished cooking to your liking. If the sauce has all been absorbed add water or broth and toss gently until desired level of sauciness is achieved ;)