Recipe: Fusili pasta with lemon, cream and rocket

I've had this recipe saved in one of my many folders for about a year and finally dug it out on Friday when I needed a quick go to recipe for a dinner with J. We were to be going on a date but in a bid to save money for our Christmas trips to France and Devon we decided to stay home. It also happened to be freezing cold and blustery outside, so staying in by the fire with a bottle of wine seemed like a pretty good option.

I had been concerned about cooking a dish without meat, something I find does not go down too well with the men in my life, but when my beloved declared it was the "dish of 2009" (he is a fan of the bold statement) my concerns were promptly dismissed.

This dish was an absolute delight; easy to make, cheap ingredients, very quick, had a fantastic flavour and most excitingly it felt like something you' be proud to put in front of a vegetarian friend. Good to add something to the repertoire other than oft repeated risottos, salads and veggie lasagna.

The only change I made to the recipe below was that I roasted the cherry tomatoes but I would say either cold or roasted would work, depending on your preference.

(Recipe from Food Network)

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon good olive oil
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic (2 cloves)
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 3 lemons
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 bunch broccoli
• 1 pound dried fusilli pasta
• 1/2 pound baby rocket (or 2 bunches of common rocket, leaves cut in thirds)
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the garlic, and cook for 60 seconds. Add the cream, the zest from 2 lemons, the juice of 2 lemons, 2 teaspoons of salt, and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until it starts to thicken.

Meanwhile, cut the broccoli in florets and discard the stem. Cook the florets in a pot of boiling salted water for 3 to 5 minutes, until tender but still firm. Drain the broccoli and run under cold water to stop the cooking. Set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add 1 tablespoon of salt and the pasta, and cook according to the directions on the package, about 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain the pasta in a colander and place it back into the pot. Immediately add the cream mixture and cook it over medium-low heat for 3 minutes, until most of the sauce has been absorbed in the pasta. Pour the hot pasta into a large bowl, add the arugula, Parmesan, tomatoes, and cooked broccoli. Cut the last lemon in half lengthwise, slice it 1/4-inch thick crosswise, and add it to the pasta. Toss well, season to taste, and serve hot.