Having lived in Italy for many years, full-time for eight years, and part-time for fifteen years, my husband and I are both pasta addicts. My husband would be happy having pasta daily, although I like to mix up my weekly menus with seafood, meat, and even a few meatless dishes. Despite not needing pasta daily, I crave pasta a few times a week. Luckily, there are unlimited ways to prepare pasta, so we never get bored.
My husband is in Italy for two months, so I am home in Florida cooking for one. After caring for my chickens, goats, dogs, and cat, I am often not in the mood to cook elaborate meals for myself. This easy pasta dish is the kind I enjoy preparing for myself at the end of a hot day outside. The entire dish takes less than thirty minutes from start to finish and is both delicious and filling. I kept this version simple, using broccoli, some spicy Calabrian pepper pesto, garlic, and good olive oil, but the variations are endless.
There are two ways of preparing this dish. One is to cook the broccoli as long as you do the pasta causing the broccoli to melt into the oil. I do prepare my pasta this way at times, but I do prefer this version where both the pasta and broccoli are “al dente”. If you are not into spicy food, you can skip the Calabrian peppers, but do season well with salt and pepper. Choose a short dried pasta like penne, rigatoni, or fusilli. Add the broccoli to the pasta pot a couple of minutes before your pasta is “al dente” to ensure both the pasta and broccoli do not become mushy.
Optional Additions:
Pancetta or Guanciale – Diced pork fried up before adding the garlic would be this pasta, one any meat lover would enjoy,
Anchovies – If you love anchovies, try adding a couple to the pan while cooking the garlic to add a tasty umami flavor.
Cherry Tomatoes—After mixing the cooked pasta with the broccoli and oil mixture, add some halved cherry tomatoes to the pan and cook for a minute or two over medium heat to heat thoroughly.
Garlicky Breadcrumbs – Break up some crusty bread into small pieces, and fry in a pan with a drizzle of olive oil until lightly browned and crisp. Sprinkle some of the prepared breadcrumbs over each bowl of pasta before serving.
Buon Appetito!
Deborah Mele
Ingredients
- 1 Medium Bunch Broccoli
- 1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 4 Garlic Cloves Minced
- Salt & Pepper To Taste
- 1 to 2 Teaspoons Calabrian Pepper Pesto (Optional)
- 3/4 Pound Short Dried Pasta
- 2 Tablespoons Butter
- 1/2 Cup Freshly Grated Pecorino Romano Cheese
- 2 Teaspoons Grated Lemon Rind
Instructions
- Trim off half the broccoli stems and discard, then cut the broccoli stems and florets into 1 1/2-inch pieces.
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.
- Cook the pasta, and two to three minutes before the pasta is cooked “al dente”, add the broccoli to the pot.
- Drain the pasta and broccoli in a colander, reserving a cup of the pasta water.
- In a frying pan, heat the olive oil, then add the garlic, Calabrian pepper pesto, salt and pepper and cook a minute or two just until the garlic is fragrant.
- Add the drained pasta and broccoli to the frying pan along with the butter, and toss to coat with the oil.
- Cook a minute or two, adding some of the reserved pasta water to create a sauce of sorts.
- Stir in the lemon zest, then serve in individual bowls topped with some of the grated cheese.
