Family Favourite Pasta! Corteccia Pasta with Hot Smashed Broccoli By Jamie Oliver

In this rustic Italian demonstration, Jamie Oliver showcases a highly tactile, family-friendly approach to fresh pasta: hand-shaped corteccia paired with a vibrant, fiery smashed broccoli sauce. For professional chefs, this preparation highlights how simple, economical ingredients—flour, water, and brassicas—can be lifted through traditional regional shaping methods and smart emulsification techniques.

Mastering the Corteccia Shape

Corteccia, translating to 'bark' in Italian, is a traditional hand-rolled pasta shape hailing from southern Italy. Typically made from a simple semolina and water dough, it relies on a specific rolling technique to achieve its characteristic hollowed, textured curl. Chefs can utilise this technique to introduce a rustic, artisanal element to the menu without the need for specialised brass dies or pasta extruders.

The key is in the friction. By cutting the rested dough into small pieces and dragging a bench scraper, butter knife, or even your fingers across each piece on a wooden board, you curl the dough inward. This creates a cavity that is perfect for catching chunky, emulsified sauces. The main pitfall during service prep is inconsistent thickness; if some pieces are too thick, they will remain chalky and undercooked in the centre while the thinner curls overcook.

The Smashed Broccoli Emulsion

The accompaniment to this rustic pasta is a "hot smashed broccoli" sauce. Rather than serving broccoli in distinct florets, this method cooks the vegetable until it is incredibly tender, allowing it to easily collapse under pressure. When combined with hot olive oil, garlic, and chilli, the broccoli is mashed directly in the pan to form a coarse, vibrant green pesto-like consistency.

The secret to binding this sauce lies in the pasta cooking water. By tossing the freshly boiled corteccia directly into the pan with the smashed brassica and a generous splash of starchy water, you create a glossy, clinging emulsion. The starch from the handmade pasta acts as a natural binder, ensuring the sauce coats every crevice of the bark-like curls rather than pooling at the bottom of the bowl.