| Portions |
|---|
| 6 |
Ingredients
- 1 pound/454g Pici pasta, see recipe below
- 4 cups broccoli florets
- 1 cup basil leaves, tightly packed
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1/2 cup almonds, toasted
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- ½ cup grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
- Kosher salt and cracked black pepper, plus more for garnish
- ---FOR THE PICI PASTA DOUGH---
- 1 cup semolina flour
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cups warm water
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Directions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Prepare a bowl of ice water and set aside. Drop the broccoli florets into the boiling water and blanch until just slightly tender about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the florets to the ice water. Drain and pat dry with paper towels. Leave the water in the pot to cook pasta.
- Place the 3 cups of the broccoli into a food processor with the basil, garlic, almonds, lemon juice, zest, then pulse until coarsely chopped. Add the olive oil, Parmesan cheese and puree until smooth, season with salt and pepper, then transfer to a small bowl.
- Add the pasta to the boiling water. Cook pasta for about 4-5 minutes or until tender, but still slightly firm. Add remaining broccoli florets and cook for 30 seconds. Drain, reserving ½ cup of the cooking liquid.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, add ¼ cup of the reserved pasta water, pesto and stir together. Once hot, remove from heat and add both the pasta and broccoli and toss until the pasta is evenly coated, adding the remaining pasta water for desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper. Serve, sprinkling each portion with more cheese and drizzling it with olive oil.
- Note: You can make the pesto in advance and store covered in the refrigerator for up to a week. It also freezes very well and is a perfect way to make a big batch of it and have it always on hand. If you are only cooking pasta for a smaller group or just yourself, just add as much as you need.
For the Pici Pasta Dough
- In a large bowl, stir together the all-purpose flour, semolina flour, and salt. Make a well in the centre of the flour.
- In a measuring cup, combine the egg, warm water, and olive oil and mix well with a fork. Slowly pour the egg mixture into the well, mixing with a fork until a rough dough forms.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead the dough until it forms a smooth ball, 8 to 10 minutes. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 20 minutes.
- Dust a baking sheet with semolina flour. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Divide the dough into 2 equal portions; rewrap one portion to prevent it from drying out. Use a rolling pin to roll out the first portion of dough into a 6 x 8-inch rectangle, about % inch thick. Using a sharp knife. cut the dough into 6-inch-long strips, about % inch wide. Repeat with the other portion of dough.
- On a clean work surface, roll each strip of dough under your fingers to make a slightly rounded strand. Place the pasta on the dusted baking sheet.
Note: We like to store our broccoli wrapped loosely in damp paper towels and refrigerating it. Sealed bags are not recommended, as broccoli needs air circulation. Remember to reserve the stalk stems. They have a crisp texture with a slightly milder broccoli. The pesto can certainly be made in advance and kept in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Excerpted from Two Chefs in the Garden by Lynn Crawford and Lora Kirk. Copyright © 2024 Lynn Crawford and Lora Kirk. Photographs by Ash Nayler. Published by Penguin, an imprint of Penguin Canada, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.