Pappardelle with cavolo nero, chilli and hazelnuts

Serves: 4
Course: Main Course
Cooking Time: 0 hr 20 mins
Ingredients
  • Serves 4
  • 400g pappardelle
  • Salt and pepper
  • 700g cavolo nero
  • 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus more to serve
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely sliced
  • 2 red chillies, deseeded and chopped, or about half tsp chilli flakes
  • Finely grated zest of half a large orange
  • 40g hazelnuts, halved and toasted (see below)
  • 25g flat leaf parsley leaves, roughly chopped
  • Finely grated Parmesan cheese, to serve

One of my favourite dishes is pasta tossed with garlic, chilli, parsley, olive oil and orange zest. I’ve simply added cabbage and nuts here to make it a bit healthier (and quite a lot more delicious).

Put the pasta in a large pan of boiling salted water and cook until al dente, about 15 minutes, or a minute or so less than suggested on the packet instructions. Meanwhile, remove the tough ribs from the cavolo nero (discard them) and wash the leaves. Plunge into boiling water and cook for seven minutes. Drain well. Squeeze the excess water from the cabbage with your hands and chop it roughly.

When the pasta has about four minutes left to cook, heat the oil and gently sauté the garlic and chillies until the garlic is pale gold. Add the zest and cabbage, season well and heat through.

Tip the hazelnuts into a dry frying pan, place over a medium heat and toast until they smell aromatic. Remove and roughly chop. Drain the pasta, return it to its pan and add the hazelnuts and the contents of the cabbage pan. Season and add the parsley. Drizzle with more olive oil. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese.