Chopped mint pairs perfectly with broad beans – this pasta dish combines them both with lemon, chilli and cream for a quick and easy summer meal
Ingredients
200g broad beans, podded
200g penne or conchiglie
2 tbsp olive oil
4 spring onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely sliced
1 red chilli, deseeded and finely sliced
1 lemon, zested
a knob salted butter
30g parmesan or pecorino, finely grated, plus extra to serve
2 tbsp double cream or crème fraîche
a large handful mint, roughly chopped
Step by step
Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil over a medium heat and cook the broad beans for 2-3 minutes or until tender. Remove with a slotted spoon, reserving the cooking water, and rinse the beans under cold running water to cool. Once cool, peel and transfer to a bowl, discarding the skins.
Bring the reserved cooking water back to the boil, adding a little more salt. Cook the pasta for a few minutes less than the pack instructions or until al dente. Skim off any scum that may rise to the surface as the pasta cooks.
Meanwhile, tip the oil, spring onions, garlic, chilli, lemon zest and a pinch of salt into a large frying pan set over a medium heat and cook for a few minutes until the ingredients start to soften and smell aromatic – they should infuse the oil but don’t let the veg start to colour.
Add the butter and peeled broad beans, and season with some black pepper. Stir to coat everything in the sauce, roughly crushing a few of the beans as you do. When the pasta is ready, add it to the pan using a slotted spoon. Add a couple of spoonfuls of the cooking water, followed by the parmesan or pecorino.
Shake the pan and toss everything together until the sauce is creamy and glossy. Pour in the cream or crème fraîche, stirring to combine, followed by the lemon juice and chopped mint.
Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed, then divide the pasta between warm bowls and top with a little extra cheese to serve.
