Pasta Con Broccole

Pasta con broccole is Italian-American home cooking at its simplest and best. Garlic sauteed in olive oil with red pepper flakes, fresh tomatoes simmered down with basil and oregano, and blanched broccoli folded in at the end. Toss it all with al dente fusilli and a shower of grated cheese, and you’ve got a complete meal that takes about 50 minutes start to finish.

The garlic needs to be watched carefully. Saute it in the oil until it just starts to change color, that pale golden stage where the raw bite softens into something sweet and nutty. Go darker and the whole sauce turns bitter. Adding the pepper flakes with the garlic means they bloom in the hot oil, releasing their heat throughout the dish.

Four cups of fresh tomatoes break down during the 15 to 20 minute simmer into a chunky, bright sauce that’s lighter than anything from a can. The natural acidity of fresh tomatoes keeps the whole dish feeling vibrant instead of heavy.

Blanching the broccoli separately before adding it to the skillet is key. It ensures the florets are tender but still green and firm, not the olive-colored mush you’d get from simmering them too long in the sauce. Five minutes in the sauce is just enough to absorb the tomato flavor without losing their bite.

Kitchen Tips

• Use a tablespoon of finely chopped garlic, not garlic powder. Fresh garlic is non-negotiable in this dish
• Blanch the broccoli in the same pot you’ll cook the pasta in. It saves time and the starchy water helps the sauce cling to the noodles later
• Fusilli or rotelle (wagon wheels) catch the chunky sauce in their spirals and curves better than smooth pasta shapes
• Finish with a good grating of Pecorino Romano for a sharp, salty kick that’s more traditional than Parmesan here

Variations

• Add a can of cannellini beans with the broccoli for a heartier, more protein-rich dish
• Use broccolini or rapini instead of regular broccoli for a slightly bitter, more Italian-style version
• Toss in a handful of oil-cured black olives with the tomatoes for a briny punch