Cavatelli pasta with a broccoli velvet sauce and oregano flowers Recipe

The Eat Out Woolworths Restaurant of The Year All the Eat Out star restaurants Eat Out judging process

Join our community

Write reviews, comment on stories and enter competitions.
Sign up as a user
List your restaurant

Create and manage a listing for your restaurant.
Sign up as a restaurant
Claim your restaurant

Manage an existing listing.
Claim your restaurant

Get the latest restaurant and food news delivered to your inbox every week!

@eatout_southafrica

Cavatelli pasta with a broccoli velvet sauce and oregano flowers

Cape-based chef and restaurateur Giorgio Nava won the World Pasta Championships with this simple recipe. A traditional style of pasta made in Puglia, Italy, it's seasoned with anchovies, broccoli, tomatos and fresh oregano flowers.

Serves: 4 people

Ingredients

320g of cavatelli barilla or short pasta

1 head of broccoli with leaves

2 cloves garlic

6 anchovies

4 slices of old bread

100ml extra virgin olive oil

4-5 dry tomatoes

fresh oregano flowers

salt and pepper

Method

Boil the broccoli and leaves in salted water. When soft place it in salted ice water to stop it from cooking and to maintain a beautiful green colour.

Heat oil in a frying pan with one, sliced, garlic clove and 4 anchovies – stir until melted.

Remove the garlic and add the bread cut into cubes. Fry until crispy.

Blend the broccoli with 2 anchovies, olive oil, salt and pepper until soft and creamy; add broccoli cooking water if necessary. Place this cream in the frying pan with the bread.

Cook the pasta in the broccoli cooking water until al dente. Drain the pasta and mix gently with the broccoli cream for one minute.

Place the broccoli leaves in a pasta bowl first and then add the pasta. Top this with thinly sliced dry tomatoes, bread cubes and oregano flowers before serving.

Read more about Giorgio’s win, or visit one of his Cape Town restaurants: 95 Keerom, Carne SA, Mozzarella Bar, Caffe Milano and Down South Food Bar.