WILD GARLIC RIGATONI 🌱

A speedy meal that's ready in the time it takes the pasta to cook!

Welcome back to The Veg Table - my little corner of the internet where we’re all about making vegetables the star of the show.

We’re coming to the end of wild garlic season, so it feels like a good time to squeeze in one last recipe while it’s still around.

I love a pasta sauce that’s ready in the time it takes the pasta to cook … and this is exactly that.

Enjoy!

Alfie x

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COOKING WITH THE SEASONS

Wild garlic grows all across the UK - even in parts of London - usually in shaded, leafy areas. Once you know what you’re looking for, you start seeing (and smelling) it everywhere.

And the best part is, it’s completely free!

There’s something really satisfying about that - going out, picking something yourself, then turning it into dinner a few hours later. It makes you think a bit more about what you’re eating and where it’s come from.

It’s only around for a short window each year - usually early March to May - which is why it’s worth making the most of it while you can.

That’s generally how I like to cook: using seasonal ingredients when they’re at their best, and always trying to keep it simple and quick.

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WHY THIS WORKS

This is one of those meals you make when you don’t want to overthink dinner, but still want something that tastes and looks good - the vivid green is really something, PLUS the sauce doesn’t involve any cooking!

The wild garlic carries most of the flavour, the pine nuts add depth, the lemon adds some zestiness, and the silken tofu brings everything together into a smooth sauce (with a good protein boost in there too).

It’s simple, but it works so well.

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THE RECIPE

INGREDIENTS (SERVES 4)

• 400g rigatoni (or any pasta)

• 200g wild garlic leaves (or use spinach!)

• large handful fresh basil leaves

• small handful pine nuts

• 300g block silken tofu (drain a little of the water)

• 2-3 heaped tbsp nutritional yeast

• juice + zest of ½ - 1 lemon

• a good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

• salt + pepper

METHOD

1. Bring a pan of salted water to the boil. Briefly blanch the wild garlic + basil for 10 seconds, then remove + place in ice water to cool. Get your your pasta onto boil + cook until al dente.

2. Squeeze out as much moisture as you can from the wild garlic + basil. To make the sauce, to a high speed blender add the wild garlic, basil, pine nuts, silken tofu, lemon zest, nutritional yeast, a good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper to a blender.

3. Blend until smooth. If it feels a bit thick, loosen it slightly with a splash of pasta water.

4. Drain the pasta, keeping a little of the cooking water.

5. Add the sauce to the pasta with a splash of that water, and a good squeeze of lemon juice, then mix everything together until it’s nicely coated and glossy.

6. I like to serve with a pinch of chilli flakes and a good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil - enjoy!

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If you’ve got a go-to way of using wild garlic, let me know - I love trying your ideas!

And if you make this, I’d love to hear how it goes.

Alfie x

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