Nice twist! The veggies are roasted and then combined with the pasta and all is connected with funky blue cheese. Our tasters LOVED this dish.

Adapted, original by Melissa Clark, NY Times

Serves 3-4 as Main Course, 6-8 as Side Dish

INGREDIENTS

• cauliflower, 1 head, cut into 3/4-inch florets
• olive oil, 1⁄4 cup
• salt, 1/2 tsp.
• pepper, 1 tsp. fresh ground is best
• leeks, 1 large or 2 small, halved and thinly sliced
• garlic, 2 cloves, thinly sliced
• thyme leaves, 1 TBS, more for serving
• short pasta, 8 ounces,  such as bowtie
• butter, 3 TBS, cubed, at room temperature
• Gorgonzola, 6 ounces, crumbled, at room temperature
• lemon juice, 2 TBS or to taste
• chives, 2 TBS chopped, for serving

DIRECTIONS: (Original recipe can be reviewed here)

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss cauliflower with olive oil, salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Spread onto a baking sheet in an even layer, and bake for 20 minutes.
2. Add leeks, garlic and thyme to the sheet pan, then roast another 20 minutes, tossing the vegetables halfway through, until they are very tender and deeply caramelized.
3. Meanwhile, bring four quarts water to the boil with 2 TBS. salt. Cook pasta until it is shy of being al dente. Scoop out about 1 cup pasta water, then drain pasta. Return the pasta to the empty pot, along with butter, cheese, remaining pepper and 1/2 cup pasta water, stirring to combine.
4. Toss vegetables into pasta, add in lemon juice and check for salt and pepper. Add more pasta water if mixture looks dry. Top with chives and thyme.