roasted broccoli carbonara

i had a broccoli glut last week – three heads of normal broccoli plus a pack of tenderstem. i’m not sure what happened but there was a moment of broccoli-shaped panic when i decided i needed something other than my usuals of “best broccoli” and broccoli and anchovy orecchiette.

thankfully i found this lovely recipe for roasted broccoli carbonara. it’s very simple and very delicious – i really liked the roasted broccoli paired with the salty pancetta and the rich creamy egg-sauce. well worth trying if you’re a broccoli fan.

roasted broccoli carbonara (serves 4)

2 crowns broccoli

200g penne pasta

3 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon olive oil

4 slices thick-cut bacon, diced (i used 70g diced pancetta)

1 ½  teaspoons of freshly ground black pepper

125-175g grated parmesan, divided

1 egg

3 egg yolks

salt

pepper

preheat oven to 200c. bring a pot of salted water to boil and line a baking sheet with foil.

cut the broccoli into medium florets and place on the baking sheet. drizzle with 3 tablespoons olive oil, toss the broccoli to coat, and sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt. roast for 12-15 minutes, until nicely browned. while the broccoli is roasting, cook the pasta and the bacon - everything will be done at about the same time, important because the pasta and water need to be hot.

heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a sauté pan over high heat and add the bacon, cooking until almost completely crisped. add the black pepper and when bacon has completely browned, remove from heat and transfer to a large bowl (big enough for mixing the entire recipe).

mix the eggs and the cheese together in a smaller bowl, then add to the bacon mixture, stirring to mix well. add pasta to boiling water and cook per package directions. set aside 250ml of pasta water and then drain the pasta. immediately add the hot pasta and a splash or two of the hot pasta water to the bowl, while stirring vigorously to create a creamy sauce.  add the broccoli, toss to coat (adding additional water if necessary). serve sprinkled with extra cheese.