Orecchiette with Broccoli
A classic Italian pasta dish from Southern Italy
Prep Time5 mins
Cook Time25 mins
Total Time30 mins
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
- 1 large head of broccoli cleaned, stalks trimmed and cut into small florets
- 1 small Spanish onion or shallot optional
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 1 box of orecchiette pasta you can also use fusilli, ziti or penne
- 1/2 cup finely grated fresh parmesan cheese
- 1/4- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes depending on how much heat you like. Most of the heat gets cooked out during the cooking process
- 1/4 cup of olive oil
- 1/2 cup of pasta water reserved
- salt and pepper to taste about 1 tsp of salt and 1/2 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Place a large pot of water on stove to boil for the pasta
- Cut up head of broccoli into florets
- Finely dice garlic and thinly slice your onion
- Pour 1/2 of your olive oil into a saute pan over medium heat and add the red pepper flakes
- When oil is warm saute onions for 5 minutes
- Add your garlic and cook another 2 minutes
- Once onions are cooked through and translucent, add the broccoli to the same pan and saute until the broccoli is tender (adding any extra olive oil if needed- broccoli soaks up olive oil so add more if the pan seems dry) about 8-10 minutes
- season with salt and pepper.
- Reduce heat to low
- When pasta water comes to a boil salt the water with a good handful of salt (like the saltiness of the ocean) and cook pasta according to directions until al dente
- When pasta is done reserve 1 cup of pasta water and then strain
- Add pasta to saute pan and mix pasta in with the broccoli until well combined and adding reserved pasta water if it looks to dry.
- Plate your pasta and finish with a generous sprinkling of fresh parmesan cheese.
- Enjoy!