Zero Waste Roasted Broccoli Pesto Pasta
If there's one thing we love more than an easy, fast and veg-packed midweek dinner, it's one that we can make with no food waste! Broccoli stalks are just as delicious and nutritious as their typical floret siblings with just a little bit of roasting time. We've also topped this dish with pangrattato (what a fun word!), which is just fancy Italian for crispy flavoured breadcrumbs and an excellent way to use up any crusty old bread you have lying around. This zero waste pasta dish is better for the environment, your health and your wallet. What's not to love?
Serves
Ingredients
For the pesto
<item-todo-done>80g walnuts<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>50g Nooch<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>80g basil<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>40ml olive oil<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>1 large broccoli<item-todo-done><item-todo-done> Salt & pepper to taste<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>4 garlic cloves<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>1 large lemon<item-todo-done>
For the pangrattato
<item-todo-done>1 tbsp oregano<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>1 tbsp dried rosemary<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>120g stale bread<item-todo-done>
For the pasta
<item-todo-done>250g spaghetti<item-todo-done>
Before you start
Preheat oven to 180˚C, fan setting | Blender | Saucepan
For the broccoli
- Start by cutting the broccoli florets off the stalk and put to one side
- Crush the garlic cloves
- Chop the stalk up into small chunks and pop into a roasting dish with the crushed garlic and a drizzle of olive oil
- Roast in the oven for 20 minutes until the stalks are soft
- Add your broccoli florets and walnuts to the dish and roast it all together for a further 10 minutes
Make the pesto
- Once your roasted broccoli, garlic and walnuts are ready add it to a food processor and blitz
- Then add the nooch, zest and juice of a lemon, basil, olive oil and salt and pepper to taste
- Place in a bowl for later and set up the food processor ready to use again
For the pangrattato
- Chop any old bread you have lying around and toast in the oven to dry out for 15 minutes
- Once it’s nice and crunchy, add it to the food processor and blitz with oregano, rosemary and a drop of oil
- Tip the contents out ready to sprinkle over your pasta later
Cook the spaghetti
- Boil a large pot of water over a high heat
- Add a big pinch of salt and pasta to the water and simmer for 9-11 minutes until cooked
Time to serve
- Strain your pasta (reserving some of the cooking water) and add a generous dollop of your broccoli pesto and stir until all the pasta is coated
- Loosen the pesto with the reserved cooking water as needed to get a silky sauce consistency
- Pop your pasta into a bowl, add another spoonful of pesto on top, then sprinkle the pangrattato for added texture and flavour