Broccoli Pasta, Courgette & Mozzarella Salad, Parma Ham & Melon Salad

If you struggle to find some of the ingredients in this recipe, don't panic!  Use normal broccoli instead of purple sprouting, use a different pasta if you can't find Orecchiette, use dried thyme if you don't want to buy it fresh, use normal olive oil instead of buying both extra virgin and normal olive oil.  You will find in all recipes that you can substitute some of the ingredients but some things can't be changed.  For instance, you couldn't use dried mint or basil because its not being cooked and it wouldn't taste right on the salads.

As I've said before, I'm not expert but it's all trial and error - GOOD LUCK!

Serves 6

Pasta
125g Parmesan cheese
1 large head of broccoli
200g purple sprouting broccoli
1 x 30g tin of anchovies in oil (if you don't like fishy tastes, leave these out)
1 heaped tsp capers
1 small dried chilli or 1 tsp dried chilli flakes
3 cloves garlic
a few springs of fresh thyme
500g dried orecchiette (pasta)

Courgette Salad
3 large sprigs fresh mint
1/2 fresh red chilli
1 lemon
200g baby courgettes, mixed colours if available (normal courgettes work just as well)
1 x 125g tub of bocconcini di mozzarella (baby mozzarella balls)

Seasonings
olive oil
extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and black pepper

Parma Ham & Melon Salad
a small bunch of fresh basil
1/2 a lemon
2 x 115g parma ham/prosciutto
1 canteloupe melon
balsamic vinegar

To Start
Get your ingredients and equipment ready.  Put the fine grater attachment into the food processor (a hand held blender can also be used).  Fill and boil the kettle.  Put a large frying pan on a low heat.

Pasta
Trim the rind off your Parmesan and set aside.  Grate the chunk of Parmesan in the food processor, or by hand and tip into a bowl.  Slice all the florets off the stalk of the large head of broccoli.  Trim off the florets from the purple sprouting broccoli and chop up just the tender stalks.  Put all the broccoli to one side.

Fit the standard blade attachment to the processor.  Halve the large broccoli stalk and put into the empty processor with the anchovies and their oil, and the drained capers.  Crumble in the dried chilli or chilli flakes.  Peel and add the 3 cloves of garlic, then pulse it all to a paste.  Pour the boiled water into a large deep saucepan and put on a high heat.

Put about 3 tbsp of olive oil into the large frying pan and spoon in the broccoli paste.  Stir, then pick and tear in some thyme leaves, discarding the woody stalks.  Pour a wineglass of water into the pan and add the reserved Parmesan rind.  Give it a good stir and turn the heat up to medium.  Keep your eye on it, stirring every now and then.  Half - fill the kettle and reboil.

Add the orecchiette to the saucepan of boiling water with a pinch of salt and cook according to packet instructions, with the lid askew.  Now you've got about 12 minutes of pasta cooking time to make your 2 salads.

Courgette Salad
Pick the mint leaves over a chopping board.  Add 1/2 a red chilli.  Zest over 1/2 the lemon, then chop the chilli and mint together until really fine.  Spoon into the middle of a serving platter, drizzle over about 3 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil and squeeze in the juice of 1/2 the lemon.  Add a pinch of salt and pepper, then taste and adjust the flavours if necessary.  Speed-peel the courgettes into ribbons over this dressing.  Drain the tub of baby mozzarella, then tip over the courgettes and take to the table to toss and dress at the last minute.

Pasta
Give the pasta a stir and top up with more water from the kettle, if needed.  After 5 minutes and add all the reserved broccoli florets and the chopped purple sprouting broccoli stalks to the pasta with a splash of water from the kettle.

Prosciutto & Melon Salad
Pick the leaves from the basil, setting the smaller ones aside for later.  Put the big leaves into a pestle and mortar with a pinch of salt and bash to a paste.  Add 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil, plus a good squeeze of lemon juice.  Lay 12 slices of prosciutto on a platter, leaving a space in the middle.  Halve the melon, spoon out the seeds, then use a spoon to quickly scoop chunks of flesh into the middle of the platter.  Drizzle over a little balsamic, then scatter over the reserved small basil leaves.  Squeeze the juices from the melon halves into the dressing and stir in, then take the platter to the table with the pestle and mortar and a spoon for drizzling over the dressing.

Pasta
Drain the pasta and broccoli in a colander, reserving some of the cooking water, and add to the frying pan of paste.  Fish out the Parmesan rind and discard.  Add a big handful or two of grated Parmesan and a ladle or two of the cooking water.  Carefully and quickly stir around and keep it moving until you achieve shiny, loose lovely pasta.  Taste and correct the seasoning, then tip on to a serving platter and sprinkle over a handful of Parmesan.  Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and scatter over the rest of the small reserved basil leaves.  Take to the table with the rest of the Parmesan for sprinkling over.

To Serve
When everyone is ready to eat, use 2 forks to toss the courgette ribbons and baby mozzarella.  Serve next to some of that lovely pasta and the prosciutto and melon salad.