Broccoli and Almond Pasta with Chilli

• 400gdried orecchiette (or another short pasta)
• 2heads broccoli (about 700g), cut into small florets, stalks peeled and sliced
• 60gflaked almonds
• 4 tbspolive oil
• 4garlic cloves, finely sliced
• 2red chillies, finely sliced (seeds in if you like heat)
• 1lemon, zested and juiced
• 50gParmesan (or vegetarian hard cheese), finely grated
• fine salt
• black pepper

Method

1. 1Bring your largest pan of water to the boil and salt it well. While it heats, cut the broccoli into small florets and peel and slice the stalks; the stalks are sweet and there is no reason to throw them away.
2. 2Add the orecchiette to the boiling water and cook for the time on the packet, usually 10 to 12 minutes, until it still has a little bite. Add the broccoli stalks 6 minutes before the end and the florets 4 minutes before the end so they come out very soft. Scoop out a mug of the cooking water before you drain.
3. 3While the pasta cooks, toast the almonds in a dry frying pan over a medium heat for 3 minutes, shaking often, until pale golden. Tip them onto a plate straight away or they carry on cooking.
4. 4Put the frying pan back on a low heat with the olive oil, garlic and chillies. Cook gently for 2 minutes until the garlic is pale gold and sizzling but not brown; brown garlic turns bitter and there is nowhere to hide it in this dish.
5. 5Tip the drained pasta and broccoli into the frying pan with 150ml of the cooking water. Press the broccoli against the pan with the back of a spoon so it breaks down, then toss over a high heat for 2 minutes until the water, oil and crushed broccoli come together into a rough green sauce that clings to the pasta.
6. 6Take the pan off the heat and add the lemon zest, half the juice, most of the Parmesan and plenty of black pepper. Toss, then taste; it should be sharp, garlicky and properly salted, so add the rest of the lemon and more salt if it is flat.
7. 7Serve with the almonds scattered over and the remaining Parmesan.

Per serving

kcal

706

protein

29.3g

fibre

10.5g

carbs

85.5g

fat

27.7g