Ingredients

• 1 head of cauliflower (about 3 pounds)
• 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons of lemon pepper
• Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/2 pound capellini or spaghetti
• 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons of white balsamic vinegar
• Handful of fresh basil, cut into thin slivers
• 1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans (recipe calls for hazelnuts)
• Shaved Pecerino
• 4 eggs (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425F.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat for the pasta. Meanwhile, cut the cauliflower into 1-inch florets, discarding the thick middle stem. Spread the florets on a rimmed baking sheet and toss with the olive oil, making sure each piece is coated. Sprinkle with the lemon pepper, salt and nutmeg and toss again. Roast, gently stirring about halfway through the cooking time, until there are lots of brown caramelized spots - 25-30 minutes.
3. Cook pasta according to the package instructions. Meanwhile, in a a large pan over medium heat, warm the butter and swirl it around the pan until it starts to bubble and just begins to smell toasty, about 2 minutes. Turn off the heat. Drain the pasta, reserving a bit of pasta water. Add the pasta to the pan with the browned butter, add the capellini, a splash of the pasta water, the balsamic vinegar, basil, half of the cauliflower and nuts, and pinch or two of salt. Toss everything to combine.
4. Fry four eggs in a large pan.
5. Divide pasta among plates and top each serving with a a portion of the remaining cauliflower and nuts,a bit of pepper, an egg and garnish with some shaved cheese. Serve immediately.

Notes

Ingredients

• 1 box pasta of choice (I like something that can hold some of the sauce in ridges)
• 1 small pumpkin or squash of choice
• 1 1/2 cups of chopped portabella mushrooms or mushrooms of choice - cleaned but not washed!
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 cup of heavy cream
• 1 - 2 tablespoons of butter
• Olive Oil
• Coarse salt and pepper
• Grated Parmesan cheese
• Thyme

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Cut your pumpkin into wedges, season with salt and pepper and lay flat on a well greased cookie sheet or in a roasting pan. Drizzle with olive oil and roast until soft but not mushy, about 25 minutes (cooking time varies depending on type of pumpkin or squash you use).
2. While pumpkin is roasting, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. As soon as water is boiling, add your pasta and cook according to package instructions, drain. Try to have pasta ready at the same time your sauce (including pumpkin) is ready.
3. In a large frying pan, melt butter on medium heat, add onions and cook until soft. Then add mushrooms and cook until they release their juices, stirring occasionally. Season with salt, pepper and sprigs of thyme. Add cream, mix well and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to a simmer and let the mixture cook until cream thickens.
4. Once pumpkin is soft, remove from oven and cut from peel into 1 inch pieces. Add to mushroom cream mixture and toss quickly. Turn off heat, season with more salt and pepper if you need to. Add freshly cooked pasta, toss to coat and sprinkle with some grated Parmesan. Serve immediately.

Notes

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pound very ripe cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/3 cup plain dry breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano
• 2 tablespoons freshly grated pecorino (or, if you don't have this, just more Parmigiano)
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 pound dried penne or spaghetti
• 1/4 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, torn

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Grease a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with one-third of the oil. Place the tomatoes cut side up in the dish.
2. In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs, cheeses, and garlic and toss with a fork to mix well. Sprinkle the bread-crumb mixture over the tomatoes, making sure that each cut side is well covered with the crumb mixture. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake until the tomatoes are cooked through and starting to brown on top, about 20 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente. Time the pasta so it finishes cooking about the time the tomatoes are ready to come out of the oven.
4. When the tomatoes are done, add the basil and stir vigorously to mix everything into a sauce. Drain the pasta and immediately transfer it to the baking dish. Add the remaining olive oil and mix well. SERVE AT ONCE.

Notes