Pat PilcherPAT PILCHER shows you how to quickly whip up a tasty winter meal of broccoli pasta.
As the long slog through winter starts to bite my energy levels to plummet. Getting home and having to cook dinner sometimes feels like a chore. Because there’s only so many times I can justify takeaways I started hunting down simple, tasty and quick recipes which minimised the amount of time spent slaving over a hot stove.
This recipe is a favourite, and above all, it is quick and easy to make. You can go from plate to ate in around 30 minutes with little in the way of effort
Ingredients (serves 2)
200g Dried Fusili Pasta
A handful of almonds chopped into quarters
200g of fresh broccoli cut into bite-sized pieces
2 cloves of fresh garlic finely chopped
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
2-3 dried chilli finely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
¼ cup of Water
Grated parmesan to taste (optional).
Method
Heat a frying pan to medium high, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil.
Once the oil is heated, add chopped almonds and stir/toss until they begin to get light gold patches and look roasted.
Place the almonds on a small plate with a paper towel. Set aside.
Fill and Boil jug of water.
Add the second tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and heat.
Pour the boiled water into a smallish pot and add 1 teaspoon of salt, bring to the boil.
Once the oil is heated, add the dried chillies and stir, being careful not to burn the chillis. The oil will become slightly aromatic and may take on a red tint.
Add broccoli to the chilli and oil.
Add Fusilli to the boiling pot of water and set a timer for the pasta cook time (usually 8 minutes).
Add the garlic and quickly cook, being careful not to burn the garlic.
When the garlic is aromatic and starting to turn gold, add the almonds and a pinch of salt, then…
Add broccoli and stir through
Add a slosh of pasta water and put a lid on the pan to steam the broccoli.
Check to see if the Fusilli is al dente and drain if cooked.
The broccoli should be a brighter green and have a softer texture, remove the pan lid and add the pasta to the pan, adding a small amount of olive oil, mixing the pasta and broccoli.
Add the almonds.
Serve with grated parmesan.
