Pasta e Broccoli
You will make Mom proud finishing your veggies and asking for seconds.
I wish someone would warn me about being an adult. How exhausted you would be just from working. How you would have to not only figure out what to have for dinner every night but also make it. I could not even imagine throwing kids in the mix. All parents deserve a medal! There are days where I have energy and will whip up something stupendous that even I’m shocked I made. Then there are days where fast food seems like the best thing in the world.
I often wonder how my parents, both working factory jobs where they had to be there by 530 in the morning come home every evening and cook us a full meal, and clean the house, and get things ready for us kids, and well take care of us just to do it all again the next day. I can’t even wake up to my alarm most days without hitting snooze more times than I want to admit to then sit at my desk all day and work. Granted sitting is exhausting but I can’t imagine working a hard factory job then taking care of a home and children every day. I just can’t believe all the things my parents did for us growing up while also being a responsible adult outside the house.
Ma and Pops, y’all deserve a freaking holiday, party, fireworks, the world! Thank you for teaching me, I hope to not let you down.
When I have to figure out dinner and I am too tired to even look at the stove, I always turn to my mom’s pasta and broccoli recipe. It’s so easy, filling, and makes for the best leftovers. If you haven’t noticed, I like recipes that make for good leftovers. Partially because who has time to think about what to have for lunch but also, Italians don’t do portions. We don’t exactly cook for a small family rather an army. So if we are going to spend time and money on cooking something, it better taste good the next day!
A fun thing about this recipe is that you can modify it however you want. You can add more pasta/broccoli water to make it a little soupier or any cooked meats for some added protein. I like to add crisped pancetta or prosciutto. The combination of soft broccoli and crispy meat with pasta is so perfect, especially on nights when you have no energy to cook. If I don’t have either of those I add bacon. You can’t go wrong with bacon!!
I hope you enjoy this recipe! If you make it, let me know what modifications you make! I’d love to try something different with it!!
Pasta e Broccoli
Serves: 4
Prep Time: 10-15 minutes
Total Cook Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients:
1 bunch of fresh broccoli cleaned and broken apart
3-4 slices thick bacon
1/4 cup grated cheese (I use Parmigiano Reggiano)
1/2 cup olive oil
3-4 garlic cloves minced
1 lb penne pasta (any pasta type will work)
1/2 teaspoon salt (to taste, I used this amount for our taste)
1/2 teaspoon pepper (to taste, I used this amount for our taste)
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (to taste, I used this amount for our taste)
Recipe:
Heat oven to 420 degrees.
Using a baking sheet, place aluminum foil on top then the bacon. This will make it easier for clean-up.
Place bacon in the oven and cook for 20 minutes, until crispy. When the bacon is cooked, remove it from the oven and place it on a plate with a paper towel.
Boil broccoli
On low heat, add oil and garlic to a large frying pan. Saute garlic to a golden brown color. Remove pan from heat until broccoli is cooked.
Using a slotted utensil, scoop broccoli into the pan with oil and garlic draining most of the water but not all. You want some of the water to help the broccoli continue to cook in the oil and garlic so don’t be alarmed if you have water in the pan, it will get absorbed as the broccoli cooks. Do not drain the broccoli as the water will be used to cook the pasta.
Add more water if needed to the remaining broccoli water pan. Bring the water to a boil.
Add pasta to the water. Don’t forget to add salt so the pasta doesn’t stick!
While the pasta is cooking, on medium heat gently chop the broccoli in the oil and garlic pan allowing it to simmer. You want the broccoli to be in pieces so it scoops easily with the pasta when done. As the broccoli cooks it will soften and be easier to chop up in the pan.
Add salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper to the broccoli and mix.
When the pasta is cooked, scoop the pasta into the pan with the broccoli. The same process as the broccoli, drain some of the water as you scoop and transfer to the broccoli pan, just not all. The extra water helps add moisture to the mix and will be absorbed my the pasta and broccoli. Don’t worry if there is too much water, it will get absorbed.
Let the broccoli and pasta simmer on low for 5 minutes. Continue to stir to get them to mix together.
Add crumbled bacon and Parmigiano-Reggiano on top and Enjoy!