Penne with Broccoli

A bit of cool weather and the winter crops are starting to perform.  Well those at my mum & dad’s are anyway.  My brassicas are either very newly planted or in fairly sunless spots and stunted as a result.   When I was at mum & dad’s during the week I snaffled some of their broccoli crop as they appeared to have more than anyone could possibly use.  At least that’s what I’m telling myself to alleviate any feelings of guilt.  I cooked some today.  I am something of a fan of broccoli with pasta, as long as its also got some chilli and olives with it as well. 

Although I have photographed this with a glass of red, white wine would probably be more appropriate, but I opened the red the night before and…..

Penne with Broccoli (Serves 2)

• 150g broccoli, separated into florets
• 1 tbspn pine nuts
• 50g stale bread
• 10 kalamata olives – depipped and halved
• 1 clove of garlic – chopped
• 1 chilli – chopped
• 2 anchovy fillets
• 1 tbspn olive oil
• Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
• 200g dried Penne (or other pasta)

Heat a pasta sized saucepan full of water with a pinch or two of salt in it.  Meanwhile place the chilli, garlic, bread, anchovies and oil in a food processor and blitz until it forms a crumb.  Heat a frypan and dry roast the pine nuts.  Remove and set aside.  Add the crumb to the same hot pan and cook until golden brown.  Set aside.  When the water has come to a boil, add the broccoli.  Once it is cooked remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.  Put the pasta in the water and boil until cooked.  Drain the pasta and return to the saucepan. Toss the olives and broccoli through the pasta and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.  Place on plates and top with breadcrumbs.  Top with parmesan.

I’m sharing this recipe on The Gardener of Eden’s Thursday Kitchen Cupboard and Greenish Thumb’s Garden to Table.