Recipe: Cauliflower and prosciutto pasta

A lot of long distance running questions leading up to a marathon, focus on pre-race carbo-loading and the copious amounts of pasta that runners stereo-typically eat the night before the race. I’m not the hugest pasta fan. I do love a bowl of fresh pasta on occasion, but more often than not, rice, sweet potatoes and quinoa are my sides of choice. On the days that I whip up some pasta, it’s kept very minimal: little to no sauce, a touch of olive oil, and loaded with delicious toppings.

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While working on a project with my wonderful co-worker, it was lunchtime and we were in need of some sustenance to keep our creative juices flowing. Looking in my fridge, I had a number of ingredients that had the potential to compliment each other in a pasta-filled bowl. After running to the grocery store for a packet of fresh pasta, I set to work. Luckily, the combination worked! Utilizing fresh ingredients that are flavour packed on their own, means there’s less of a need for sauces that overpower the dish.

Cauliflower and prosciutto pasta

INGREDIENTS

1 packet of fresh linguine
1 head of cauliflower
1 tsp garlic
1-2 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp paprika
10 sundried tomatoes, sliced
5 slices prosciutto
3 tbsp roasted pumpkin seeds
¾ cup snap peas, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS 

1. Preheat the oven to 375°.
2. Chop the cauliflower into bite-sized pieces and place into a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, add the garlic and spices, then toss to coat. Place onto a baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes or until tender.
3. When the cauliflower has about 20 minutes left, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Keep in mind fresh pasta only takes 2-3 minutes to cook, so if made in advance, add a touch of olive oil into the strained pasta to prevent it from sticking into clumps. Return the strained pasta into the original pot.
4. In a separate pan, fry up the prosciutto until crispy, then crumble into a bowl.
5. Slice the sundried tomatoes.
6. When the cauliflower is done roasting, add it to the pasta along with the sundried tomatoes, prosciutto, pumpkin seeds, and snap peas. Toss to combine.