LARGE PASTA RECIPES

Steps:

• 1. Using a small knife, trim round the broccoli to remove the dark green florets from the main stalks and put them to one side. Peel the stalks, trim off the dry end and throw this away. Peel and chop the garlic.
  2. Finely chop the broccoli stalk and put into a large pan with the garlic, anchovies and half the butter. Crumble in the chilli, cover with a lid and cook slowly for 8 to 10 minutes while you cook the pasta in boiling salted water according to the packet instructions.
  3. Something I like to do which is slightly different (but better, I’d like to think) is to cook the broccoli florets with the pasta for the last 4 minutes – this makes them soft enough to eat but leaves them with great colour and texture.
  4. Drain the pasta and broccoli, saving a little of the cooking water, then toss into the other pan. Remove the pan from the heat.
  5. Season to taste with sea salt, black pepper, the rest of the butter and finely grate in a large handful of Parmesan. Mix well, adding a little of the cooking water, to loosen, if needed, and make it shine.
  6. Serve immediately, sprinkling with another good handful of finely grated Parmesan.

Steps:

• 1. Ingredients out • Kettle boiled • Large frying pan, high heat • Large lidded casserole pan, high heat • Food processor (bowl blade)
  2. START COOKING On a large sheet of greaseproof paper, toss the chicken with sea salt, black pepper, fennel seeds and the rosemary leaves. Fold over the paper, then bash and flatten the chicken to 1.5cm thick with a rolling pin.
  3. Put the chicken into the frying pan with the rapeseed oil, the bashed unpeeled garlic cloves and halved chillies, turning after about 3 or 4 minutes, until golden and cooked through.
  4. Line the beans up and cut off the stalks, put into the casserole pan, cover with boiling salted water and cook for 6 minutes with the lid on.
  5. Pick a few basil leaves for garnish, then rip off the stalks and put the rest of the bunch into the processor with the almonds, Parmesan, extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice.
  6. Squash in the unpeeled garlic through a garlic crusher. Blitz until smooth, adding a ladle or two of cooking water from the beans to loosen, then season to taste.
  7. Slice the lasagne sheets up into random handkerchief shapes and add to the beans to cook for a couple of minutes. Halve or quarter the tomatoes, add to the chicken and give the pan a shake.
  8. Stir the spinach into the pasta pan, then drain, reserving a cupful of the starchy cooking water. Return the pasta, beans and spinach to the pan, pour in the pesto from the processor and stir together, loosening with splashes of cooking water until silky.
  9. Slice the chicken breasts in half and serve with the tomatoes and chilli spooned over the top. Finely grate a little extra Parmesan over the pasta, then sprinkle everything with basil leaves.