CAVOLO NERO AND WALNUT SPAGHETTI

I make this a lot when I’ve got a girlfriend coming over for supper. It’s speedy, simple and full of beautiful flavours, yet so easy to bring together. I tend to serve it with a peppery rocket and avocado salad on the side. Swap the cavolo nero for any seasonal greens, or the walnuts for pine nuts.

SERVES2 TIME

20 minutes

2 servings of spaghetti (about 75g per person)

large handful of walnuts (about 75g)

2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to serve

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced ½ tsp dried chilli flakes 3-4 large handfuls of cavolo nero (about 150g–200g), leaves stripped from the stalks and roughly sliced juice of ½ lemon large handful of rocket (about 50g)

sea salt and black pepper

1 Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil, add the spaghetti and cook according to the instructions on the pack or until al dente.

2 While the pasta is cooking, set a large frying pan over a medium heat and add the walnuts. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring often, until golden. Tip the toasted walnuts into a high-speed blender and set aside.

3 Pour the olive oil into the frying pan, add the garlic and chilli and cook for 30 seconds, then add the cavolo nero and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until wilted. Add everything to the high-speed blender.

4 Drain the pasta, reserving a mugful of cooking water, and add about 150ml to the blender, along with a big pinch of salt and lots of pepper. Blitz until smooth then spoon into the pan and add the cooked pasta. Warm gently over a low heat, adding the remaining pasta water – there should be about 125ml left – and stir until you have a creamy green sauce. Add the lemon juice and season to taste.

5 Divide the pasta between serving plates, scatter over the rocket, drizzle with a little more olive oil and add plenty of black pepper.