A simple summer lunch brought together by good olive oil.
Over the past few years, as we have delved more deeply into the world of good olive oil, our eating habits have gradually begun to change as well.
We use our own olive oil every day, and we have noticed that we snack less between meals. Good olive oil makes food more nourishing and leaves you feeling pleasantly satisfied afterwards — full, but not heavy.
Our appetite changes in summer too. Lunch is becoming the main meal of the day, and we plan it more consciously. We want it to include protein, healthy fats, carbohydrates and fibre. In other words, everything the body needs.
One of our favourites has become broccoli and ricotta pasta.
We love broccoli. We love pasta too. In this recipe, we finally found a way to bring the two together perfectly. The result is creamy, nourishing and fresh — the kind of combination that keeps both the heart and the mind happy.
This recipe serves two.
A few good ingredients are often all it takes to make the most satisfying meal.
Ingredients
- 300 g broccoli
- 2 garlic cloves
- ⅓ tsp chilli flakes, optional
- 100 g ricotta
- 60 g Parmiggiano or another strongly flavoured cheese
- grated zest of 1 lemon and lemon juice to taste
- 180 g pasta — tagliatelle works particularly well
- about 6 tbsp good olive oil
- salt and black pepper
Method
- 1. Prepare the ingredients. Cut the broccoli into small florets, cut the garlic cloves into two or three pieces, and grate the Parmesan and lemon zest. Pasta dishes come together quickly, so it helps to have everything prepared and within reach before you start.
- 2. Cook the broccoli. Bring a pot of water to the boil and cook the broccoli for about five minutes. Lift it out and place it in a jug blender to cool, but keep the cooking water in the pot.
- 3. Warm the garlic and chilli. Heat a frying pan over medium heat. When the pan is warm, but not hot, add a little olive oil, the garlic and the chilli flakes. Warm them for 30–45 seconds, so the garlic flavours the oil without browning and the chilli releases its heat. Remove the pan from the heat.
- 4. Cook the pasta. Bring the broccoli cooking water back to the boil and add more water if necessary. Salt it generously, add the pasta and cook until al dente — usually one or two minutes less than the time stated on the packet.
- 5. Make the sauce. Add the ricotta, most of the Parmiggiano, the garlic and chilli from the pan, the lemon zest, a little lemon juice and three tablespoons of olive oil to the broccoli in the blender. Blend until smooth and creamy. Add salt and pepper if needed.
- 6. Combine the pasta and sauce. Pour the sauce into a large preheated pan that is warm, but not hot. Turn off the heat, lift the cooked pasta directly from the water into the sauce and mix gently. Pasta water is often added at this stage, but I do not think this sauce needs any extra liquid.
- 7. Check the texture. The pasta absorbs a little of the moisture and the sauce becomes even creamier and silkier, but it should not feel heavy.
- 8. Serve. Sprinkle over the remaining Parmesan and, if you like, a little more lemon zest. The final touch belongs to the olive oil — drizzle it over the whole dish and it is ready. For extra protein, you can also add tuna.
Creamy, lemony and finished with good olive oil.
This dish is simple, but deeply satisfying. It is wonderful how good olive oil brings all the ingredients together into one harmonious whole. Heart, mind and tummy all say: “Thank you.”