Pea orecchiette with purple sprouting broccoli & hazelnuts
PASTA is one of my favourite foods. Over the past few years, ‘carb bashing’ has demonised pasta, so it’s no longer thought of as a healthy option, but I believe it’s about balance. Wholewheat pastas are good higher-fibre options, but even white pasta on occasion is something to enjoy. The focus in this recipe is on delicious greens that accompany the pasta; the protein-packed peas and vibrant purple broccoli pair really well with the salty Parmesan and sharp lemon zest.
SERVES 2
150g wholewheat orecchiette pasta
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
4 small garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 small red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
200g purple sprouting broccoli (or Tenderstem)
200g garden peas (fresh or frozen)
Grated zest of ½ lemon
10g Parmesan cheese, grated (optional)
20g raw hazelnuts
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
BRING a saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add the pasta and cook it for 2 minutes less than the packet instructions advise. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat, add the garlic and saute for a minute, then add the chilli, broccoli and salt and pepper, cover and cook for 4-5 minutes.
Drain the pasta, reserving 50ml of the pasta cooking water, and add the pasta and water to the pan of broccoli, along with the peas. Cook for a further 2-3 minutes, then add the lemon zest and Parmesan (if using) and remove from the heat. Lightly toast the hazelnuts in a separate dry frying pan over a medium heat for 1-2 minutes, then roughly chop and scatter them over the pasta at the table
DOCTOR’S ORDERS: You can use any wholewheat (or even gluten-free) pasta in this recipe. To make the dish vegan, swap the Parmesan for nutritional yeast flakes, which will give a similar umami taste without the dairy.