This is one of my family’s go-to pasta dishes. It’s based on one of my favorite dishes at Babbo in New York City. You can adjust the amount of jalapeño pesto sauce you add to the dish depending on your desired level of spiciness. You can also easily substitute another protein, such as salmon, for the shrimp. It all goes wonderfully with a nice bottle of red wine.

Jalapeño black pasta (for five or six)
You can also easily make this for a smaller group and save the leftovers!

Spicy jalapeño black pasta
Ingredients
– 1 pound of black pasta (you can use dried or fresh)
– 8 oz. soppressata, cut into small cubes
– 5 cloves of garlic
– 1 pound of shrimp
– Olive oil, salt, pepper
– A handful of scallions, sliced
Jalapeno pesto
– 8 jalapeño peppers, seeded and chopped
– 1/2 cup sliced almonds
– 1/2 cup sliced red onions
– 1/2 cup olive oil
– Salt to taste

Directions
1. Prepare your jalapeño pesto ingredients by first seeding and chopping your jalapeño peppers, and slicing your red onions.
2. Add all of your jalapeño pesto ingredients to a food processor and pulse until smooth and well-blended. Set aside.
3. Boil your pasta water with a drizzle of olive oil and salt. Cook your pasta until al dente.
4. Meanwhile, chop your soppressata into small cubes, and slice your garlic and scallions.
5. In a large pan over medium-high heat, heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. Add soppressata and garlic, and cook until lightly browned. Add shrimp to cook, flipping on both sides.
6. Once your soppressata, garlic, and shrimp are cooked, add about five or six spoonfuls of your jalapeño pesto to the pan, and mix well. Add pasta, and continuing adding spoonfuls of your jalapeño pesto until desired spiciness level (Note: If you end up with extra pesto, no worries, you can always save it to serve at the table so that those who wish to add more pesto can do so).
7. Once pesto is well mixed in, salt and pepper your pasta to taste. Top with sliced scallions, and serve fresh.

Roasted cauliflower and broccoli
Ingredients
– 1 head of cauliflower
– 1 head of broccoli
– A couple of cloves of garlic
– A couple of squeezes of fresh lemon
– Olive oil, salt, pepper
– (Optional) red chili pepper flakes

Directions
1. Head oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Wash and cut cauliflower and broccoli heads so you end up with small pieces. Spread out evenly on one or two baking trays lined with aluminum foil.
3. Mince your garlic and sprinkle on top of your veggies. Add a couple of squeezes of fresh lemon, a healthy drizzle of olive oil, salt, pepper, and (optional) red chili pepper flakes. Mix well.
4. Place veggies in the oven and roast for around 20 minutes, until evenly roasted and lightly browned. You may need to mix tray halfway through the cooking time to ensure even roasting.
5. Remove from oven, and serve with pasta.