This dish is quick and may sound simple but the combination of salt, acid from the lemon juice and heat from the chilli means it packs a punch. It’s also versatile, so if you want to pimp it up throw in some pine nuts and raisins. If you want to add a protein for a more substantial meal fry off some torn chucks of pork and fennel sausage meat or add a tin of good quality tuna chunks before serving.
ingredients-
2 bunches Broccolini
1 lemon (juice of half and half cut in wedges to serve)
1 fresh long red chilli sliced (or substitute with 1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes)
2 large cloves garlic thinly sliced
50ml extra virgin olive oil
4 Tbsp Roughly chopped flat leaf parsley
Grana Padano or parmesan to serve
Salt flakes and cracked pepper for seasoning
Method-
Bring 4 litres of salted water to the boil, cut off the top third of the broccolini (the flower end) and leave whole. Slice the remaining stems into small pieces around 1cm long. Blanch the broccolini for 1 minute in the water and remove with a slotted spoon. Place the blanched broccolini on a clean dry tea towel, allow to cool and pat dry to remove any moisture, the drier the better.
Cook the Casarecce pasta in the boiling water until al dente, strain and reserve some of the cooking water.
Heat a frying pan, add the olive oil, gently fry the sliced garlic until it just starts browning on the edges, toss in the sliced red chilli and broccolini and cook for one minute.
Add the cooked pasta to the pan with the broccolini mix, chopped parsley, dress with the lemon juice and a few tablespoons of the reserved cooking water, season with salt and pepper.
Serve in 4 bowls, topped with Grana Padano and a wedge of lemon.
Serves 4