Spring pasta with Broccoli

Paris may be the most romantic city on the planet but a few years ago I managed to get a most unromantic bout of vicious food poisoning while there on a – you guessed it – romantic weekend. I will spare you the horrific details but let’s just say that I emerged on a Sunday morning kitten-weak and slightly shell shocked. Determined not to let the events of the night before ruin our last day we stumbled into a wine bar/restaurant. My husband (who had escaped unscathed) ordered a full meal but I pathetically asked for the most basic thing I could handle – plain pasta.

The restaurant owner was most sympathetic and the plain pasta I ordered ended up being an incredibly delicious plate of spaghetti tossed with butter, herbs and a little garlic. To this day whenever I feel under the weather or in need of comfort I remember that dish. Luckily you don’t have to be recovering from anything in order to enjoy a plate of carb heaven – and it is an incredibly easy and quick meal to throw together.

This time I decided to use the purple sprouting broccoli my neighbour brought over from his garden and the black garlic Sainsbury’s had sent me. Basically an aged white garlic that has a much more mellow, molasses-balsamic flavour it adds a sweet/savoury edge to sauces and is highly addictive! You can make this dish with fresh garlic instead – it will have a slightly different, but no less delicious, taste. You can use any spring vegetables instead of the sprouting broccoli – asparagus and peas being ideal replacements. Just make sure not to overcook the vegetables – plunging them in cold water after cooking will help them keep their bright green colour.

Since we moved into the new kitchen I have fallen in love with my Tefal Ingenio set all over again – had to shelve them temporarily while cooking on a portable induction hob. Now I have thrown out all my old pots (such a relief!) and am just using the Ingenio set and a couple of specialist pots and pans.

Spring pasta with sprouting broccoli and black garlic
Serves 2 generously
400g | 14oz orecchiette (or pasta shapes of your choice)
200g | 7oz purple sprouting broccoli
60g | 2oz grated Parmesan & more to sprinkle over the dish
3-4 tbsp double cream
2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, very finely chopped
1 tbsp unsalted butter
splash virgin olive oil
2 cloves black garlic, sliced thinly
squeeze of lemon
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Method

1. Bring a pot of water to the boil and add 1/2 tsp salt. Cook the broccoli until al dente – 3-4 minutes – drain and plunge into cold water. Set aside.
2. Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions. Rinse and drain then set aside.
3. Heat a little butter and splash of olive oil in the same pot you used for the pasta. Add the Parmesan, cream, parsley, garlic and lemon juice and stir for a couple of minutes.
4. Add the broccoli and pasta and stir to coat. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve with a little extra Parmesan coarsely grated over the top.