Author Notes
Spaghetti and Broccoli, as we called it, is simple, delicious comfort food and a typical dish from the Puglia region, where my mom came from.
It is a family favorite and a “hit” with friends outside the family as well; this recipe is handed down from one generation to the next, it is a dish we have often. I’ve adapted from my Grandma who liked her pasta cheesy and mild, as did my mother, but I like it tweaked up with lemon zest and red pepper flakes.
This dish was a fitting tribute paid to my Grandmother, after funeral services, when we served endless Spaghetti and Broccoli – definitely a true Celebration of her Life, in our family.
—lapadia
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Ingredients
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1 lb. dry spaghetti (I prefer De Cecco)
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1 lb. broccoli flowers and stems (I use 1 bag of frozen when broccoli is no longer garden fresh)
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6-8 large garlic cloves, 1/2 of them minced, 1/2 sliced
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Zest from 1 lemon
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1-2 teaspoons dried red pepper flakes - to your taste
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6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil…divided in half
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1 medium onion, diced
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3/4 teaspoon sea salt…plus extra for the boiling pasta water
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1/4 cup pasta water...divided in half
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1 cup micro-plane grated Pecorino/Parmesan mix - divided in half.
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Extra cheese for individual plates after serving.
Directions
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In a small bowl, add the minced garlic, lemon zest and red pepper flakes; whisk and reserve for later.
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Place a large heatproof serving dish or bowl in the oven, heated @ 200 degrees. Note: I sometimes use a large saute pan.
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Start a large pot of salted water to boil.
Cook the spaghetti noodles half way.
Add the broccoli.
Finish cooking until pasta is al dente and broccoli is tender.
Reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta water - divide in half.
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Meanwhile, in a nonstick pan, heat the first 3 tablespoons of olive oil; add onion and saute until soft.
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Add the sliced garlic and 3/4 teaspoon sea salt, stir until the garlic is pale yellow colored.
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Take pan off the heat.
Stir in the reserved minced garlic/lemon zest/red pepper flakes and add 2 tablespoons of the pasta water. Reserve until needed in step #8.
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Drain the spaghetti/broccoli and transfer to the warmed serving bowl or dish.
Add the last 3 tablespoons of olive oil and the remaining pasta water - toss to coat.
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Now add the reserved onion/garlic, olive oil mixture (from step #6) and the first half of grated cheese, toss to combine.
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Sprinkle with the last half of the grated cheese and serve.
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Or at this point you can cover with foil and let sit in oven for up to a half hour - the pasta and broccoli will be cooked a bit more…but personally, I like it that way.
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