Creamy Lemony Rigatoni and Roasted Broccoli
Prepare carefully. Work safely. Evaluate honestly.
- Serves / makes
- 6 servings
- Preparation
- 15 minutes
- Cooking
- 25 minutes
- Total time
- 40 minutes
Heat / oven setting220°C conventional / 200°C fan; hob medium heat
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| 450g | |
| 750g | |
| 3 tbsp | |
| 3 cloves | |
| 225g | |
| 150ml | |
| 1.5 | |
| 45g | |
| A small pinch | |
| Up to 225ml, as needed |
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Equipment
- Digital scales and measuring jug
- Board and sharp knife
- Baking tray
- Large pasta saucepan and colander
- Saucepan for sauce
- Fine grater
- Wooden spoon
- Oven gloves and heatproof mat
- Extra baking tray or larger pan/dish if needed for six servings
Method
Prepare broccoli
Wash hands and clean the workstation. Preheat the oven. Wash broccoli, trim the stalk and cut into evenly sized florets. Toss with 1.5 tbsp oil on a baking tray. Use pans and trays large enough for six servings. Cook in batches if needed; keep pieces the same size and allow extra time for batches. For baked dishes, use a wider dish to keep the original depth.
Roast
Roast broccoli for 20–25 minutes, turning halfway, until tender with lightly browned edges. Avoid allowing thin edges to burn.
Cook rigatoni
Boil pasta according to packet instructions until just tender. Before draining, carefully reserve 225ml cooking water using a heatproof jug. Drain the pasta.
Make the sauce
Warm remaining oil in a large saucepan. Cook garlic for 30 seconds without browning. Lower the heat and stir in cream cheese and milk until smooth. Wash the lemon and finely grate its zest, avoiding the bitter white pith.
Combine
Add pasta, roasted broccoli, lemon zest and half the lemon juice. Stir in grated cheese. Add reserved water a spoonful at a time until the sauce coats the pasta. Heat gently until steaming throughout.
Finish and serve
Taste with a clean spoon and add remaining lemon juice only if needed. Divide evenly between six bowls. Evaluate the acidity, sauce consistency and broccoli texture.
Portion for six
Divide the finished dish evenly between six people.
Food safety
- Wash hands, clean surfaces, tie back hair and use clean equipment. Check use-by dates and ingredient labels before starting.
- Take care with boiling water, steam and hot pans. Use oven gloves for hot dishes and keep pan handles away from the worktop edge. Heat the finished dish until steaming throughout.
- Cool perishable leftovers and refrigerate within 1–2 hours. Keep the fridge at 5°C or below, use refrigerated leftovers within 48 hours and reheat only once until steaming hot throughout. Rice has a shorter storage limit.
Guidance: Food Standards Agency cooking advice ↗
Nutritional considerations
Pasta supplies carbohydrate; broccoli contributes fibre. Dairy ingredients add protein and calcium. Choose vegetarian hard cheese if required; traditional Parmesan uses animal rennet.
Practical skills
Roasting, boiling pasta, zesting, controlling sauce consistency and balancing acidity.
Presentation
Use clean serving equipment, divide evenly and wipe the plate or dish edges. Check the finished food against your planned colour, texture and appearance.
Evaluate your practical
Describe the appearance, flavour, texture and a skill you used successfully.
Explain one improvement to the recipe, your timings or your technique.
Classroom adaptation written from the recipe title in your collection. Review portions, ingredients and timings with your teacher before a practical.
Times are approximate. Quantities are for the stated yield; accompanying foods are included only when listed. This learning sheet does not itself award a qualification.