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Pasta Con Broccole

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Submitted by shelley4

Pasta con broccole with blanched broccoli in a fresh tomato sauce spiked with garlic, hot pepper flakes, basil, and oregano. A classic Italian-American vegetable pasta.

YIELD

1 servings

PREP

20 min

COOK

30 min

READY

50 min

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

Ingredients

1 15
TABLESPOON ML GARLIC
finely chopped
2 30
TABLESPOONS ML OLIVE OIL
1
X RED PEPPER FLAKE
to taste *
4 946
CUPS ML TOMATOES
fresh
2 30
TABLESPOONS ML BASIL
fresh, or 1 teaspoon dried
1 5
TEASPOON ML OREGANO
1
X SALT
to taste *
1
X BLACK PEPPER
to taste *
1 1
BUNCH BUNCH BROCCOLI FLORETS *
1 453.6
POUND G PASTA, FUSILLI
or rotelle

Directions

Sauté garlic in oil with hot pepper flakes as desired.

When garlic turns color, add basil, tomato, oregano, salt and pepper.

Cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes while you wash and trim broccoli to bite size pieces; blanch broccoli in boiling water, drain and add to skillet.

Simmer, covered, about 5 minutes more.

Prepare pasta al dente, serve with grated cheese.

* not incl. in nutrient facts Arrow up button

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Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1217g (42.9 oz)
Amount per Serving
Calories 2055 15% from fat
 % Daily Value *
Total Fat 34g 53%
Saturated Fat 5g 25%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 65mg 3%
Total Carbohydrate 123g 123%
Dietary Fiber 24g 96%
Sugars g
Protein 133g
Vitamin A 132% Vitamin C 159%
Calcium 21% Iron 100%
* based on a 2,000 calorie diet How is this calculated?
Low Cholesterol, Cholesterol-Free, Trans-fat Free, High Fiber, Low Sodium
 

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