Broccoli Orecchiette for 2

Broccoli Orecchiette Photo: State Pasta

Ingredients

• 150g orecchiette pasta
• ½ head of broccoli
• 2 cloves garlic, finely sliced
• ½ lemon, zested
• ½ tsp dry chilli flakes
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Parmigiano
• Flaky sea salt and freshly cracked pepper

Method

Fill a large pot with water, season well with salt and bring to the boil.

Finely slice the broccoli, including the stalk, and boil until soft. This takes about 12-15 minutes.

Drain the broccoli, keep the cooking water, place this back into the pot and bring to the boil. Add the pasta to the water and cook for a minute less than the packet instructions, drain and keep the cooking liquid, we need this to finish the dish.

Add the garlic to a large pan with a good glug of olive oil and a pinch of salt and cook until the garlic just starts to lightly brown, then add the broccoli and toss through for half a minute, then add about a cup of the cooking liquid and the pasta and bring to the boil.

Keep tossing and mixing until the liquid begins to thicken, this will take a couple of minutes, don't give up it will come together as the starch from the pasta and water is mixed in.

To serve:

Once it looks nice and saucy remove from the heat, add the finely grated lemon zest, chilli flakes, cracked pepper and stir through a good slug of your best olive oil.

Load onto plates and finish with freshly grated Parmigiano and another drizzle of your best olive oil.