Okay, so I know that it is suppose to be Pasta con Broccoli, but I added so much broccoli that I felt that the pasta should be the object and not the subject (or something like that?). I’ve been wanting to make a pasta dish for a while, and since pasta with broccoli is my favorite combo, I decided to search for some recipes. Almost all the well-rated recipes I came across included about the same ingredients. But I looked at this one on All Recipes, and I read the modifications that other people made before deciding how to make my own.
Broccoli con Pasta
I gathered up my ingredients…
I also used a touch of butter, EVOO and red pepper flakes that are not pictured. After getting everything into one place, I got to work. I chopped my two mushrooms, a 1/4 of a sweet onion and started browning my garlic in the butter and EVOO. But as I was cooking, I realized that my precious Le Creuset pot that West so sweetly bought me after I saw Julie & Julia (because I just had to have the same cookware if I were ever going to make anything worth eating) was sitting empty in my cabinet.
My apologies little pot! I will try to use you soon. After the T. of garlic had been in the pan for about two minutes, I added the onion, and then after another two minutes, the mushrooms with a T. of white wine.
When the mushrooms started to darken, I decided to add the liquids. I put 2 ounces of tomato sauce, 1/2 C. of cream and 1/2 C. of water. Then I added a good bit of black pepper, some sea salt and a few heavy sprinkles of red pepper flakes (when I write “heavy sprinkles” I think about people in my writer’s workshop classes telling me that that is impossible because sprinkles has connotations and denotations of being light, ha).
While the sauce simmered, I threw the 7 ounces of pasta in boiling water and cooked it for 6 minutes before adding 2 cups of fresh broccoli.
Doesn’t it look like some type of happy swamp? While the pasta and broccoli cooked for another six minutes, I added 1/8 cup of the parmigiano-reggiano to the sauce. Then, I drained the pasta and broccoli, added it to the sauce, stirred it around and threw on the remaining 1/4 cup of cheese.
Not gonna lie, this was really good. I think it’s pretty simple, so if you don’t have anything against fat and dairy, try it!
Happy Life with Food 
I had pasta tonight, too. It’s a glorious epidemic. Now, I’m watching The Office and wishing you were here to share in the joy of the intro song.
Yay-Pasta twins!
PS. I just put you in my google reader. Yay!
Hi! I’m a friend of Laura’s and I constantly bother her with talk of blogs and/or food, so I was super excited when she told me about your new blog! I will add you to my google reader.
That pasta looks divine!! I’m jealous Laura has a roommate that is so passionate about cooking!
Do you happen to read “The Pioneer Woman Cooks”? One of my favorite foodie blogs!
Haha. Well, I don’t know if I’m passionate about cooking. I just really enjoy doing it when I have time, which really isn’t as often as I’d like it to be. But, thanks for adding me to your reader! 🙂
And, I just recently heard about “The Pioneer Woman Cooks,” so I’m hoping to start following/keeping up with that blog, too.
I’m on a cooking fast this week due to vacation, but I’m already thinking about what I want to make when I get back. Do you have a blog?
Oh, you will love the Pioneer Woman! She is hilarious and makes the most delicious things!
No blog, but I’d love to start one! Maybe this summer.
Eeee. Don’t stop cooking!
happy swamp!