Ingredients

Method

For the pasta:
• 300 g orecchiette pasta
• salt, to taste
• lemon peel, to garnish
• basil leaves, to garnish
For the broccoli pesto:
• 1 T butter
• 1 x 250 g head broccoli, cut into florets (chop and use the stems)
• 100 g baby spinach leaves, washed and dried
• salt, a pinch
• pepper, a pinch
• 40 g almonds
• ¼ cup olive oil, plus 2 T
• 2 t tahini
• 2 T Parmesan, grated
• ½ lemon, juiced
• chilli flakes a large pinch
• 1 cloves garlic, crushed
For the salad:
• 500 g Tenderstem broccoli tips
• 125 g fresh shelled garden peas
• 125 g green Nocarella olives, halved and pitted
• 1 red onion, very thinly sliced

Method

Ingredients

1. Place the pasta in a large saucepan of boiling salted water and cook until al dente.
2. To make the pesto, place the butter, 1 cup water, broccoli, spinach and seasoning in a saucepan and cook for 5 minutes with the lid on.
3. Transfer the vegetables to a food processor and blend.
4. Add the almonds, olive oil, tahini, Parmesan, lemon juice, chilli flakes and garlic and blend.
5. Check the consistency and add some pasta cooking water if necessary.
6. Drain the pasta and return to the saucepan. Add the pesto and stir through. Tip into a bowl and allow to cool.
7. To make the salad, blanch the broccoli and peas, then drain and cool.
8. When the pasta and vegetables are cool, add the broccoli, peas, olives and red onion and mix through.
9. Tip into a serving bowl and garnish with lemon peel and basil.

Cook's note: A great way to get kids to eat more broccoli and spinach! It’s a fast recipe that’s a weekday stand-by for us.

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