I love this recipe because it only needs few pantry ingredients which lots of us probably have in our cupboards already! I paired these store cupboard staples with my beloved @tenderstem broccoli, the ultimate versatile vegetable which can be added to so many different dishes – from stir fry, ramen, curries and yes, pasta too! Tenderstem® broccoli only takes a few minutes to cook making it an easy addition for any mid-week meal. This creamy pasta is a bowl of pure comfort and ready in under 30 minutes! 

Serves 2

Ingredients:

1 can of cannelini beans – drained and rinsed 

1 small white onion – finely chopped 

2 garlic cloves – crushed 

40g of walnuts – chopped 

Few sprigs of rosemary – leaves removed and chopped 

The juice and zest of 1 lemon 

200g of Tenderstem® broccoli

4 tbsp of olive oil 

A small handful of chopped parsley 

1 tbsp of chilli flakes (optional) 

Salt & pepper to taste 

220g of mezzi rigatoni, tortiglioni or penne

Add 2 tablespoon of oil to a large frying pan together with the chopped walnuts and chilli flakes (if using). Cook for 5 minutes until the walnuts start to go golden. Add in the Tenderstem® broccoli and cook for another 4-5 minutes until cooked. Remove from the pan and place it in a bowl on the side. Add the remaining oil to the pan with the chopped onion. Cook the onion for 5-7 minutes until it starts to caramelise. Add in the crushed garlic and cook for another minute. In the meantime cook the pasta according to the packet’s instructions. Add the cannelini beans and the chopped rosemary to the pan and cook for few minutes. Remove 1 cup of the cooking water from the pasta pot and add it to the beans. With a potato masher mash down the beans until you have a fairly creamy sauce. Season with salt & pepper. Drain the pasta while still saving another cup of the cooking water. Add the pasta to the pan together with the cooking water to the pan and cook for another couple of minutes until the sauce have thicken up. Serve with a sprinkle of chopped parsley and the  Tenderstem® broccoli & walnut crumble.