Fusilli with Cauliflower, Tomato Sauce, and Olives

This is a simple, spicy tomato sauce that cooks in the time it takes to boil water and cook the pasta.

It starts with canned tomatoes flavoured with garlic, red pepper flakes and thyme. Cooked cauliflower, olives and the cooked pasta are added at the end. I don’t particularly like washing pots so instead of cooking the cauliflower separately, I cut the florets into bite-sized pieces and cooked them with the pasta during the last 3 minutes.

I’m not familiar with this triumvirate of cauliflower, tomatoes and olives but found the combination to be quite delicious. The cauliflower was bland enough to absorb the other flavours in the sauce but at the same time helped to temper the saltiness of the briny olives and the heat of the red pepper flakes while adding a little sweetness and crunchy texture.

This dish went over very well with family…apparently totally masking the flavour of cauliflower makes it much more palatable ; )!