Recipe: Broccoli Farfelle

Broccoli – not just a veg of champions (and about the only one both Yumi and I can consistently get our kids to eat) but also a delicious creamy pasta sauce? Sure thing! If you like a bit of heat and little ones aren’t involved, then feel free to add a finely chopped fresh red chilli to the oil along with the garlic.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

1 large head of broccoli, cut into small florets
2 garlic cloves
½ cup (125 ml) olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
400-500 g (14 oz-1 lb 2 oz) farfalle
grated parmesan cheese, to serve

1. Throw the broccoli florets into a large saucepan of boiling salted water and cook for 8 minutes or until soft. Drain.

2. Squash the garlic cloves with the flat of a knife.

3. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan, then add the garlic and cook for 4-5 minutes, or until golden all over. Fish the garlic out of the pan and discard.

4. Add the broccoli to the pan and stir it around in the garlicky oil until well coated. Season generously with salt and pepper and keep it ticking away over medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes, squashing the broc with the back of a wooden spoon and adding a splash or two of water as necessary, so it all smooshes together to form a creamy sauce.

5. Meanwhile, cook the farfalle in a saucepan of salted boiling water until al dente.

6. Drain the pasta and add to the pan with the broccoli. Toss everything together and serve with plenty of grated parmesan and pepper.

Recipes extracted from Real World Dinner Solutions for The Exhausted by Yumi Stynes and Simon Davis, published by Murdoch Books, RRP: $45.