'Montalbano speaking. I am eating broccoli pasta, who the hell is disturbing me!'

Unlike Montalbano I have just finished last nights leftovers at my desk at work and it's been quiet for at least five minutes, no phones have rung and I've enjoyed the peace and my lunch, and as I type I'm still experiencing the wonderful flavours of what I just ate, there is smoky garlic and a little chilli still assaulting my taste buds. Maybe Pasta e Broccoli is, 'do not disturb' food, to be savoured, and admired for it's simplicity.

Method

Into a large pan of boiling water add your broccoli - don't forget the stalk, (just peel away the green side skin, chop and add, see pic).

In a frying pan add a generous drop of olive oil and whilst it's still cold add two cloves of sliced garlic, then a dried chilli or two and turn up the heat, add diced pieces of bacon and fry the lot for a few minutes, when your broccoli is al dente using a slotted spoon chuck it into the frying pan, then add the pasta to the water that the broccoli has just come out of.

Stir around the broccoli mixture in the frying pan, it will start to soften, when the pasta is also al dente then add it to the pan also and stir to mix, add a ladle or so of water too. Grate some Parmesan and add to the pan stirring to dissolve.

Unplug landlines and switch off mobile phones and serve with more grated cheese.