Pasta ‘n’ sauce

We probably all have our guilty pleasures when it comes to food. However in my case, I suffer not one iota of guilt when I am inhaling my Nongshim Instant Shin Cup Noodle Soup on a Saturday afternoon. They are spicy-hot and packed with MSG and I love them.

I console myself that whilst they’re not exactly good for me, they’re probably not entirely bad for me either. They simply offer little real nutrition. However, in the interests of not turning into a noodle I try and ration them to one pot a fortnight.

What’s your guilty pleasure? For most people I would imagine that chocolate features high on the list of tempting treats – or biscuits or crisps or maybe even Crispy Pancakes.

I know one man though whose guilty pleasure is Cheese and Broccoli Pasta ‘n’ Sauce. Honestly, before I found this out, I didn’t think that stuff existed any more. Pasta ‘n’ Sauce – what a blast from the past.

Like most other convenience foods which promise great things, I’ve certainly tried Pasta ‘n’ Sauce but I wouldn’t exactly order a repeat prescription. Considering my bi-monthly Nongshim Instant Shin Cup Noodle Soup addiction, I’m hardly in a position to judge but come on: How hard is it to boil up some pasta? The answer: Not hard at all.

Recently when a friend came to visit, he suggested we purchase some Cheese and Broccoli Pasta ‘n’ Sauce but I demurely declined. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to revisit this delicacy of student life but, rather, I had bigger fish to fry, in this case venison burgers.

“We’ll do Cheese and Broccoli Pasta ‘n’ Sauce another day,” I promised. Then I had a thought. “What about trying my own home-made version of Cheese and Broccoli Pasta ‘n’ Sauce as a starter ahead of the venison burgers?”

He demurely declined and I completely understood.

However, his visit and the resultant conversation reignited my interest in my own version of cheese and broccoli pasta ‘n’ sauce (all lower case). Based on a recipe I found online some time ago, my own cheesy broccoli pasta is nutritious and delicious and is best served up in big bowls with bibs on the side.

The last time I ate a bowl of this I ruined a grey t-shirt. True story.

I use two cheeses here, cheddar and parmesan and don’t be put off by the amount of broccoli included: Two whole heads. If you like, you could even use three. For some inexplicable reason, it’s a case of the more broccoli the better in this dish. Even the little humans were asking for more.

INGREDIENTS (SERVES 4)

the juice of half a lemon

6 tbsps of good olive oil

1 large garlic glove, minced well

30g of finely grated parmesan

1 tsp of dried mixed herbs

1 tsp of sugar

half tsp of salt

half tsp of pepper

big (or small) pinch of hot (or mild) chilli powder

350g of the pasta of your choice. I’ve used various types but the little shells (Conchiglie) work best as they tend to cup the sauce

2 or 3 heads of broccoli, chopped into half florets

1 large handful of grated strong cheddar

1 scant ladleful of pasta cooking water (but we’ll come to this later)

snipped chives and more parmesan to serve

THE PLAN

Start by making the ‘n’ sauce element of the dish.

In a large jar or tub with a lid, add the lemon juice, olive oil, minced garlic, 50g of grated parmesan, mixed herbs, sugar, half tsp of salt, half tsp of pepper and the pinch of chilli powder. Stir it up and set aside.

Next, get your pasta going in a large pot of salted water (I use a tablespoon of salt for my pasta water – don’t be shy) and then cook up the pasta.

A few minutes before the pasta is due to be ready, dump all of the half florets into the pot, right on top of the pasta. You only want to blanch the broccoli so two or three minutes is all they need.

Now, this is the important bit, before draining the pasta, scoop out a ladle of the cooking water and add that to the jar or tub containing the ‘n’ sauce ingredients. Stick a lid on and shake vigorously to mix.

Now, drain the pasta and florets and return to the pot. Pour on the ‘n’ sauce from the jar or tub along with the handful of grated cheddar and mix through.

Hopefully, the cheese with help thicken the sauce and you now have the classic cheese and broccoli pasta ‘n’ sauce (all lower case). If it’s still a little watery, fear not: You’ll gladly drink the remaining sauce after you’ve finished the pasta and broccoli.

Divvy up into four bowls and top with yet more parmesan and those snipped chives.

This is a real pleasure.

And you don’t even have to feel guilty.