Pasta & Broccoli

A minimalist pasta that punches far above its ingredient list. This southern Italian style dish cooks the broccoli right in the pasta water, timed so the stems go in with the fusilli and the florets join two minutes later. Both finish tender at the same moment the pasta hits al dente.

The garlic-chili oil gets built separately in a small saucepan, warmed just until the garlic turns lightly golden. Any darker and the garlic turns bitter and ruins the whole dish. Capers fried for the last two minutes bring a briny, salty punch that balances the soft sweetness of the cooked broccoli.

Fresh parsley gets showered on at the end for color and grassy lift. No cheese, no cream, no tomato, just olive oil doing the heavy work.

Kitchen Tips

• Cook the pasta in plenty of salted water. Undersalted water leaves the pasta bland with no way to fix it after.
• Don’t skip soaking the broccoli. That cold-water rest helps the florets plump back up and washes grit from the crown.
• Warm the oil, don’t smoke it. Hot oil burns garlic in seconds and turns the sauce bitter.
• Reserve a cup of pasta water before draining. A splash of it helps bind the oil and vegetables to the pasta.

Variations

• Add a few anchovies to the oil while the garlic cooks. They dissolve into savory depth you’ll taste but not identify.
• Finish with a shower of grated parmesan or pecorino for a richer, more traditional plate.
• Swap fusilli for orecchiette, the classic cup-shaped pasta that catches the florets and oil perfectly.