Today’s quite simple and speedy Italian basic makes use of the entire broccoli – even the woody stalk. Impressed by Italian chef Gennaro Contaldo, the method creates a scrumptious sauce that coats the pasta fantastically. Trim just some millimetres off the discoloured finish of the broccoli stalk, then, to make sure it cooks down and turns into tender, slice the remainder of the stalk into 1cm-long items.
Italian-style complete broccoli pasta
That is Italian simplicity at its finest. The entire broccoli is cooked till it’s gentle, so it breaks down right into a scrumptious sauce that coats the pasta. In its easiest type, with simply olive oil, broccoli and pasta, when seasoned generously, it makes a three-ingredient dish that’s scrumptious simply as it’s, however to take it up a notch add a number of capers (those packed in sea salt fairly than brine have an much more distinctive flavour), garlic, lemon, chilli flakes and pangrattato (toasted breadcrumbs) or parmesan. It additionally prices about £1 a portion even when made utilizing natural elements, so it’s a agency household favorite in our home.
Salt and black pepper
1 complete broccoli (350g), or turnip tops or different greens
30ml extra-virgin olive oil
375g pasta (I used wholewheat)
25g capers, drained or rinsed, and dried (optionally available)
2 small garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
Grated zest and juice of ½ lemon
Grated parmesan or pecorino, to serve, or pangrattato (toasted breadcrumbs), to style
Chilli flakes, to style
Convey a big pan of salted water to a boil. In the meantime, minimize the florets off the broccoli, slice the robust finish of the stalk into skinny rounds, then minimize the extra tender elements into quarters lengthways. Drop the lot into the boiling water, return to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes.
In the meantime, heat the oil in a big frying pan over a medium-low warmth. Add the capers, if utilizing, fry till crisp, then add the garlic and fry-cook for only a minute extra. Take off the warmth.
As soon as the broccoli is cooked, use a slotted spoon to carry it out of the water and into the frying pan (preserve the pot of scorching water). Return the frying pan to the warmth, and saute the broccoli for a few minutes, breaking it down barely with a potato masher.
In the meantime, convey the pan of broccoli water again to a boil, add the pasta and prepare dinner in accordance with the packet directions. Switch the pasta instantly into the broccoli pan, including a splash of pasta cooking water to loosen the sauce, if wanted. Stir and toss over a medium warmth till nicely mixed, then add the lemon juice (and grated zest, too, in case your lemon is unwaxed and natural). Season to style and serve with optionally available parmesan or toasted breadcrumbs or grated cured egg yolks and chilli flakes sprinkled excessive.
