Head to the pantry and fridge to create this delicious pasta
This is a pasta salad that is far greater than the sum of its parts.
Charring broccoli gives it a rich and smoky flavour and transforms the florets to tender morsels with crispy edges. This pairs perfectly with the contrasting textures of orecchiette, peas and crispy pangratatto, and the creamy, tangy flavour-bomb that is my “GOAT” (ie, the Greatest Of All Time) dressing which elevates it all, bringing you a pasta salad that is far greater than the sum of its parts.
Try too my antipasti pasta and lemon and ricotta pasta salad.
Charred broccoli and pea pasta salad
Ingredients
Salad
- 300g dried pasta
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 head broccoli
- Olive oil, for cooking
- 2 handfuls of baby spinach or rocket, chopped
- Pangratatto, see below, to serve
- Freshly grated parmesan, to serve
“GOAT” dressing
- 80g soft goat’s cheese
- 100g Greek yoghurt
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 heaped tablespoon chopped dill
- ½ garlic clove, microplaned
Pangratatto
100g panko crumbs or 1 slice of stale sourdough, blitzed into breadcrumbs
Method
- To make the GOAT dressing, put the goat’s cheese and yoghurt in a small mixing bowl and use a fork to break down the cheese and slowly work it into the yoghurt. Once combined, add the oil, a little at a time, stirring well after each addition to ensure the dressing doesn’t split. Add the salt, lemon zest, dill and garlic, and stir to combine.
- Preheat the oven to 180C-200C, and bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Once the water is boiling, add the pasta and cook according to the directions on the packet, adding the peas for the final 2 minutes of cooking. Once cooked, drain, allow to sit for a couple of minutes, then shake off any excess water and transfer to a bowl. Add two-thirds of the GOAT dressing, stir to combine, then set aside while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
- Cut the broccoli into truly bite-sized florets. Take your time with this – the smaller they are, the more enjoyable the salad will be. Put the florets in a large mixing bowl, along with enough olive oil to coat and a pinch of salt and freshly cracked black pepper, and toss to combine. Spread onto a large baking tray, making sure not to overcrowd it (use two trays if necessary), then bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until lightly blackened, tossing once during the cooking time. Allow to cool on the tray for 10 minutes.
- To make the pangratatto, place a large frying pan over a medium-high heat, place half the bread in the hot pan and cook for two minutes or until golden brown, tossing every 30 seconds or so. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining mixture.
- When ready to serve, place half the pasta on a platter and top with half the baby spinach or rocket, half the cooked broccoli and half the pangratatto. Repeat with the remaining pasta, spinach/rocket, broccoli and dressing, then top with a cloud of parmesan and the remaining pangratatto.
Serves 3-4