I have a confession. My kid only eats pasta with butter and the cheap parmesan cheese.
Before becoming a parent, I swore black and blue that my child will never eat just butter pasta but the universe had other plans and gave me little one who only wants butter on his pasta, is very firm on 'no sauce' and has to put the parmesan cheese on himself. So this particular dinner I made was only enjoyed by the people in the family who are not against sauce. But apart from being delicious, it was simple and easy and worked great on it's own and on the side of some spicy sausages. If you have a partner who looks at vegetarian dinner and asks. Where's the meat? you feel me.
In fact the entire book if full of these kind of recipes and they couldn't say it better than they do on the cover; 'Real World Dinner Solutions for the Exhausted'. Is that not everyone right now??
As you know, I really love the 5min Food Fix podcast. Its quick and snappy and gives you dinner inspiration when you feel like the fridge is a scary place to be. The ideas and simple recipes they share are so great so when I was sent this lovely cookbook, I couldn't be happier. It's the podcast in book form. They have the fish-finger sushi in their too!! It's actually so delicious.
I hope that the below pasta recipe makes one night this week feel easier, taking the decision of what to cook off your mind. and the best thing... you can serve it with a side of butter noodles or spicy sausages keeping everyone happy.
Broccoli Farfalle
Recipe from 'The Food Fix' Real World Dinner Solutions for The Exhausted by Yumi Stynes and Simon DavisServes 4-6
Broccoli - not just a veg of champion (and about the only one both Yumi and I can consistentlu 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 red fredh chilli to the oil along with the garlic.
1 lareg head of broccoli, cut into small florets
2 garlic cloves
1/2 cup (125ml) olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
400-500g (14oz-1lb 2oz) farfalle
grated parmesan cheese, to serve
Throw the brocoli florets into a large saucepan of boiling salted water and cook for 8 minutes or until soft. Drain.
Squash the garlic cloves with the flat of a knife.
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.
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 smnooshes together to form a creamy sauce.
Meanwhile, cook the farfalle in a saucepan of salted boiling water until al dente.
Drain the pasta and add the the pan with the broccoli. Toss everything together and serve with plenty of grated parmesan and pepper.
Tips.
1. Pasta always tastes better when it's cooked 'al-dente' (which is just the italian way of saying 'to the tooth' or that it has a bit of bite left in it). I tend to go by memory rather than timer - sorry, Yumi! - and taste mineas it cook to see if it's just right, but if you're unsure then follow the parket directions, subtracting a minute or two as they always seem to be a bit cautious.
2. The pasta amount here is, well, variable because, lets be honest, it's almost impossible to cook the right amount. I tend to do this by eye or throwing in a whole packet for a famkly of five. Any uneaten pasta makes good leftovers.