Warm Pasta Salad with Roasted Vegies in Lemon Ricotta Dressing

with roasted cauliflower, squash, leek, asparagus and prosciutto

(serves 4)

The best thing about this recipe is that it can be prepared when you get home and all you want to do is eat and take a shower but can't decide which one you want to do first... shower first = late dinner, dinner first = feeling yuck and tired when eating. 
Yes, i know, first world dilemmas but anyhow, this is a good solution because here you can quickly cut and dress the vegetables and put them into the oven, shower (assuming you don't take more than 10-15min!) then come out and just make the pasta and dressing and you're done! It's also great when cooking for crowds as you can prep it all before and just warm the vegetables up and toss together when serving.

Prep time: 15 min

Cooking time: 45 min

Ingredients:

1 cauliflower

1 leek

6 squash

1 bunch asparagus

4-6 slices prosciutto (100-150g)

100g ricotta

Juice and zest of 1 lemon

1 tsp dried thyme

300-400g pasta

Salt and pepper

Olive oil

Balsamic Vinegar

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180˚C.

2. Cut the cauliflower into florets and dress with olive oil, salt, pepper and thyme and bake for 20-25 minutes until the tips are crispy.

3. Cut the leek diagonally into 1cm thick chunks, dress with olive oil, salt, pepper and balsamic and bake for 20 minutes.

4. Cut the ends off the squash and cut into quarters or sixths, dress in olive oil, salt, pepper and balsamic and bake for 15-20 minutes.

NB. This is the point where you can go and shower (if this is on the agenda)!

5. Cut the ends off the asparagus stalk and cut into thirds. Dress with salt, pepper and olive oil and either place under the grill or you can use a sandwich press to grill.

6. Boil a pot of salted water and cook the pasta until al denté then drain.

7. Meanwhile, mix 3/4 of the lemon zest with the ricotta, salt lightly.

8. Once the pasta is cooked, dress with the olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper, and toss the ricotta through it, breaking it up. 
NB. It should melt a little with the heat of the pasta.

9. Toss 3/4 of the vegetables in and season to taste.

10. To serve, plate up a sizeable amount of pasta, then decorate with a bit of the remaining vegetables. Tear up a slice of prosciutto and place on top.