quick pasta lunches that are total fallbacks for me and I’m adding this one to the repertoire. Get amongst it!

Orecchiette with broccoli carbonara

I’ve been told 80g of uncooked dried pasta is pretty standard for a single serving, but I usually eyeball it.

1. Cook what kind of pasta you want in boiling salted water until al dente (you’ll be finishing it off in the pan). About one before it’s done, throw in a handful of broccoli that you’ve broken up into little pieces.

2. Drain the pasta and the broccoli, keeping about 1/2 cup of pasta water.

3. In a frying pan, heat some butter or oil over medium-low heat and add some garlic if you like.

4. In a bowl, mix together the yolk of an egg and about 1/4 to 1/2 cup grated parmesan-style cheese, something rich and zingy

5. Toss the pasta and broccoli into your frying pan and take the pan off the heat. Stir through a little of the pasta water, then the egg and parmesan mixture, and stir around while the hot pasta cooks the egg and turns it all into a clingy sauce. Add bits of pasta water as you go to help emulsify and get the sauce to the consistency you want.

6. Taste for seasoning and add more cheese/salt and a good sprinkle of cracked black pepper. YES.

What do you do when you make a pasta and it just isn’t cutting it? What’s your flavour secret weapon?