Cauliflower Anita

My colleague Anita is a real foodie.  She describes a clean, simple cuisine so attractive to the busy professional - wonderful food prepared quickly with simple ingredients.

Recently she described a quick dinner made of roasted cauliflower and pasta, flavored by toasted capers.  I reverse engineer it here, but had to add some garlic and peas to make it my own.  With or without garlic and peas, a fine inspiration from a like-minded foodie spirit - thanks Anita!
1 small head cauliflower cut into flowerettes, about 4 cups
1/4 tsp dried crushed red pepper flakes
2 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp capers
1 shallot, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup peas (if frozen, defrosted)

1/2 lb campanelle pasta

Preheat oven to 425F. Bring a pot with 3 quarts water to a boil for the pasta. Liberally salt the water with 1-2 tablespoons Kosher salt.

Toss the cauliflower with the red pepper and oil in a large bowl. Salt and pepper to taste.

Tip cauliflower onto a rimmed roasting pan and shake to achieve a single layer evenly distributed. Roast in oven for about 20-30 minutes until browned, turning once or twice.

Meanwhile, heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet. Add the capers and allow to cook for about 3-4 minutes, until they are fragrant and begin to ‘pop’. Transfer to a bowl with a slotted spoon.

Cook the pasta until just al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water and then drain pasta.

Now add the garlic and shallot to the skillet and cook for about 2-3 minutes. Add the peas and just heat through.

Return the capers to the peas and stir.

Tip the pasta, cauliflower and pea mixture into a large bowl and gently fold together.

Add a dash of the cooking water, just enough to moisten the dish to taste. Turn into a serving platter and garnish with fresh parsley.

Serves 4.

Cook's note:  Though perhaps over adorning this simple wonderful combination, pass the parmesan, as many will appreciate it.

It may seem like a lot of olive oil in the skillet, but it becomes a very flavored oil with the capers, shallot and garlic, and is not too much to flavor a quart of cauliflower and a half pound of pasta.  Adjust to taste.