Pasta is my carb of choice in the summer. Throughout the winter I gravitate towards potatoes – mashed, roasted, stuffed – it doesn’t much matter. I don’t think one is particularly better or worse for you, so I’m not sure why that is other than the fact that I get so many potatoes from my CSA farm in the winter share.
But the thing about pasta for me is that it needs an interesting sauce. My husband? He’s content to eat it with butter and salt. And maybe a little mozzarella melted over the top. But I need some vegetables in there. For years I’ve made a quick throw together lunch when working at home of whole wheat spaghetti and broccoli. Today, I got a little ambitious and made a broccoli sauce. It’s fast. It’s easy. It’s good. It’s good for you. So what are you waiting for?!
- 1 small head of broccoli, florets only, cut into small pieces
- 2 ounces whole wheat spaghetti, cooked, pasta cooking water reserved
- 2 cloves roasted garlic
- 2-3 tablespoons grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
- extra virgin olive oil, to taste
- Cook broccoli in the microwave until tender crisp, about 4 minutes. Toss broccoli into the food processor along with ¼ cup of the reserved pasta cooking water and the garlic. Pulse until finely chopped. Add cheese and pulse until combined. With motor running, add olive oil as desired, then toss sauce with cooked pasta and saute for one minute. Serve with extra cheese as desired.