Ingredients
- 500g broccoli, chopped into small florets
- 50g mascarpone
- 200g dolcelatte
- 2 tablespoons crème fraîche
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon dry white wine
- 400g penne
- 2 tablespoons capers
- 4 tablespoons black olives
- 1 tablespoon hazelnuts, crushed and toasted
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
Penne with broccoli, mascarpone and dolcelatte
It isn’t immediately obvious why the Italians call short tubes of pasta cut at an angle penne (feathers) but if you look at the nib of an old-fashioned quill pen, the name starts to make sense.
Method
Steam the broccoli florets over a pan of boiling water for 4–5 minutes. Run under cold water and set aside.
In a heavy pan, gently heat the mascarpone, dolcelatte, crème fraîche, vinegar and wine. Add the broccoli florets.
Cook the pasta in boiling salted water until it is just tender, drain well, return to the pan and pour over the hot sauce. Sprinkle with capers, olives, and hazelnuts and toss well. Adjust the seasoning and serve.
“The Meat Free Monday Cookbook” by Paul, Stella and Mary McCartney, edited by Annie Rigg, published by Kyle Books, RRP $35 click to buy.
Tips and Tricks
It is best to store broccoli in whole bunches in a sealed plastic bag in the fridge. This way it will last 7-14 days.
Because of their high oil content, nuts may easily go rancid if not properly stored. Hazelnuts will last 4-6 months in the pantry in a tightly closed container, but are better stored in the fridge where they will last at least a year.
As a general rule, try and buy only so much cheese as you can eat in two sittings. This will reduce the need for long cheese storage and reduce the chance of wastage.