Broccoli Pasta with Pangrattato, Chilli Oil

This is a plant-based take on a classic recipe from Puglia where they usually add anchovies in with the onions and garlic.  I highly recommend this but if you want to keep lighter then these two extra bursts of flavour and texture really do vamp up a weekday dish.  You can also add the two toppings to salads and dressings. 

Serves 4

Ingredients:

For the pangrattato:

3 handfuls stale bread 

3 tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper

For the simple chilli oil:

200ml sunflower oil

5-6 tbsp dried chilli flakes

3 tbsp sesame seeds

For the pasta sauce:

100ml olive oil

3 banana shallots/ 1.5 medium onion thinly sliced

6 garlic cloves, diced

2 broccoli heads, (about 700g) sliced into small florets including thinly slicing the stalks

200ml vegetable stock

1 glass white wine

160g baby spinach (4 large handfuls)

Zest of whole lemon and the juice of half

Sea salt and black pepper

320g brown rice pasta

Blend stale bread to a rough consistency, leaving some chucky bits.  Add to a baking tray and drizzle over in olive oil, salt and pepper.  Mix everything around and place into a 190 C degree oven for 4-5 minutes until crisped up and golden.  Leave to cool and store in a jam jar.

For the quick chilli oil.  Add the oil to a saucepan on a medium to high heat.  When hot, add the dried chilli flakes and simmer for about 2 minutes.  The oil will start to colour a little red.  At this point reduce the heat and add the sesame seeds and fry for a minute before removing from the heat.  You have to be careful to avoid burning the seeds.  Keep this stored in the fridge for weeks.

Now for the pasta sauce, set a frying pan to a medium to high heat and add the sliced onions.  Fry for 3-4 minutes to soften and then add in the garlic to fry for a minute.  Add in the broccoli florets and mix everything together.  Then pour in the veg stock, white wine, season and reduce the heat a little, cover for 8-9 minutes.  

At this point put the pasta on to cook.  Then drain pasta! 

Squeeze lemon juice, zest, baby spinach to wilt over broccoli and check the seasoning once more. Serve up pasta with the sauce, chilli oil and the breadcrumb mix and any leftover lemon zest!