This weekend I’ve been spending my time looking at houses.  I’m nearly ready to buy my own house with a great kitchen and can’t wait.  Our Government has increased the first home buyer’s grants but it looks like it won’t do much good because houses are going up at the same time.  I’ll have to wait and see how much they do go up by…

As for cooking, this lovely pasta was an attempt of changing the mix on pesto.  So why not broccoli and almonds?  Let me tell you, it’s a great variety and a little milder than your average pesto varieties.  Chuck in some good quality olive oil, chilli and some parmesan, and you’ve got a spicy pesto ready to go!

Makes:

• 4 serves

Ingredients:

• 4 serves cooked pasta of your choice
• 2 stalks broccoli
• 1 tbs chilli paste (or to your heat)
• 1 tsp garlic mince
• 3 tbs parmesan cheese
• handful sliver of almonds
• salt
• cracked pepper
• good glug of good quality olive oil

Instructions:

1. Dry heat the almonds in a pot to brown.
2. Blitz the broccoli (raw), chilli, garlic, olive oil together in a blender.
3. Mix in your salt, pepper and parmesan.  Blitz again.
4. Add 3/4 of the almonds and blitz.
5. Pour the sauce into a pot and heat it up cooking your broccoli.
6. Mix in your cooked pasta and add the remaining almonds.
7. Serve with cracked pepper and parmesan on top.