Pasta with lemony broccoli, walnuts and toasted breadcrumbs

Want a delicious dish that is put together in no time? Try this recipe.

Susan’s pasta is one of those recipes you’ll cook once, twice, 15 times - and will always feel like cooking again.
I made just 2 changes: onions instead of garlic + shallots and parmesan instead of Grana Padano.
I also made my own breadcrumbs using stale homemade white bread.

Click here and check her post – just be careful not to bite your monitor. ;D

Pasta with lemony broccoli, walnuts and toasted breadcrumbs

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
zest of 1 lemon
230g short pasta – I used penne
1 bunch broccoli (just the florets)
60g (½ cup) walnuts
55g (½ cup) breadcrumbs
crushed black pepper
salt
a good portion of parmesan, grated
a handful of chopped fresh parsley for garnish
extra virgin olive oil to drizzle on top

Preheat oven to 165ºC/325ºF. Layer walnuts on a baking sheet, and bake for 10 minutes, until slightly golden and aromatic. Remove from oven and place the walnuts on a clean kitchen towel. Once they’re cold, roughly chop them.
To toast the breadcrumbs, place in a skillet on the stovetop; slightly shake until golden and evenly toasty, just a couple of minutes. Remove from pan, so that the heat won’t continue to toast them.

Cook pasta in salted water according to directions.

Add olive oil to a skillet. Over medium heat, sauté onion until golden. Add the broccoli, lemon juice and zest, red pepper flakes, and salt. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until the broccoli turns a brilliant green and remains firm to the touch. Add your cooked pasta to the skillet with the broccoli mixture, and toss in the toasted walnuts and breadcrumbs.
Plate the pasta; sprinkle with parmesan and some fresh parsley. Finish it off with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Makes 4 servings.