I love to create easy weekday meals that just burst with flavor. Being of Italian heritage I learned at an early age from my mother that you should only consume food that tastes delicious. Meticulous preparation was so important to my mother who enjoyed the art of cooking instilling in me that food is love that you share with family and friends. I have continued her tradition preparing meals with the focus on flavor and taste. All you need to add as my mother is fond of saying is a pinch or a dash of that, just doctor it up! Still, at ninety-five she knows how to make food sing with flavor.

Roasted Cauliflower with Italian Tuna over Pasta

1 head cauliflower, chopped

six skin-on garlic cloves

2 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 salt

1/4 black pepper

1/4 red pepper flakes

1 cup Parmesan cheese

3 tablespoon butter

two tablespoons pine nuts, toasted

1/4 cup breadcrumbs, toasted

Italian yellowfin tuna in olive oil

1 tablespoon capers

1 pound pasta or spaghetti

On a sheet pan, drizzle a head of chopped cauliflower and six skin-on garlic cloves with some olive oil, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Roast at 425°, tossing occasionally, until the cauliflower is caramelized and crisp, about 30 minutes. Once cool, peel the roasted garlic cloves and chop.

In a large bowl, combine a cup of grated Parmesan, three tablespoons of butter, a pinch of salt, two tablespoons of toasted pine nuts, and a quarter-cup of toasted breadcrumbs. (Toast stale bread until lightly golden, then use a food processor to pulse into crumbs.)

Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook a pound of short pasta (like cavatelli) or thin spaghetti. Drain the pasta, reserving about a cup of the cooking liquid. Toss the hot pasta with the cauliflower, garlic cloves, Parmesan butter mixture, and enough pasta water to mix it all together. Add flaked tuna and mix. Garnish with capers.

Enjoy!

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