Orecchiette with Pimenta Moída and Broccolini

A simple Portuguese-inspired pasta made with orecchiette, broccolini, garlic, spring onions and pimenta moída, finished with olive oil and Parmesan.

Some aromas stop you in your tracks. Capsicum, garlic and pepper sizzling gently in good olive oil is one of them: a smell that lingers with a warmth that is equal parts sweetness and comfort, and tells you, before a single bite, that the food is going to be good. For me, that smell belongs to my grandmother's kitchen, and no amount of time has loosened its hold. The beauty of pimenta moída is what it does to the simplest of ingredients. Pasta, broccolini, a handful of pantry staples, a little love, and suddenly the bowl in front of you carries a depth of flavour that stays with you long after the meal is gone.

Prep: 10 min · Cook: 15 min · Cuisine: Portuguese · Category: Dinner

Ingredients

Orecchiette with Pimenta Moída and Broccolini

• 350g orecchiette pasta
• 1 small bunch broccolini, ends trimmed
• 3–4 tablespoons good olive oil, plus extra to finish
• 2 garlic cloves, finely sliced or minced
• 2–3 spring onions, finely sliced
• 2 generous tablespoons pimenta moída
• ½ cup reserved pasta water, as needed
• ⅓–½ cup finely grated Parmesan, plus extra to serve
• Black pepper, to taste
• Salt, only if needed

Method

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Add the broccolini and parboil for 1–2 minutes, just until bright green and barely tender. Remove, drain and chop into small pieces, keeping the stems smaller and the florets slightly chunkier.
2. Add the orecchiette to the same pot of boiling water and cook until al dente. Before draining, reserve at least 1 cup of the pasta water.
3. While the pasta cooks, warm the olive oil in a large pan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and spring onions and cook gently for 1–2 minutes, until softened and fragrant.
4. Add the pimenta moída and stir it through the oil. Let it cook for about 30 seconds to 1 minute, just until the colour blooms into the oil and the mixture looks glossy. Do not let it burn.
5. Add the chopped broccolini and toss it through the pimenta moída oil.
6. Add the cooked orecchiette to the pan with a splash of reserved pasta water. Toss well until the pasta is glossy and coated. Add more pasta water, a little at a time, until it becomes silky rather than dry.
7. Remove from the heat and stir through the Parmesan. Taste before adding salt, as the pimenta moída and Parmesan may already be salty.
8. Finish with black pepper, extra Parmesan and a final drizzle of olive oil.

Serving Suggestion

Use homemade Pimenta Moída (Portuguese Red Pepper Sauce) if you have it, or keep a jar ready in the fridge for simple dinners like this. This pasta also sits beautifully alongside a simple green salad or a glass of something cold and crisp.

Notes

Parboiling the broccolini first keeps it bright and tender, while chopping it helps it settle into the little curves of the orecchiette.

Pimenta moída can vary in saltiness, so always taste before adding extra salt.

The reserved pasta water is important here. It helps turn the olive oil, pimenta moída and Parmesan into a light glossy sauce.

The Grace Table Tip

Let the pimenta moída cook gently in the olive oil until the colour blooms. That deep orange-red oil is what carries the flavour through the whole dish.