If you want anyone in your circle of cherished souls to eat more broccoli, serve them this. Yes, this will even work on picky third-graders. It is obscenely easy to make. If you have any left, it is even better the next day.
What You'll Need
- Broccoli -- two big or three medium trees, finely chopped, stalks, florets and leaves. If you can do this in a food processor, it will shorten the prep time. However, the repetition of hand chopping with a sharp french knife can become quite meditative. Do not use frozen. I've gotten by using just a huge bag of florets, but I feel it misses something in texture.
- Short pasta - at least a pound. Farfalle, gemelli, penne or conchiglie are all terrific choices. You want something that will sccop and hold the broccoli mixture.
- Garlic -- five or six (or more!) cloves. Chop them along with the broccoli.
- Extra virgin olive oil -- 1/2 cup
- Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper
What You'll Do
Start your water boiling for the pasta. Heat a wok or large pan on medium high. Once it is warm, swirl in your olive oil. Allow it to heat up. Test its readiness by flicking in a pinch of chopped broccoli. If it quickly sizzles, you are good to go.
If you are chopping with a machine, you can sauté in batches. This is helpful if you are time-pressed after-work home cook. Otherwise, just toss it all in at once and start mixing it all around.
With the broccoli in such fine pieces, it takes no time for this to be ready. Mix thoroughly, coating everything evenly and distributing the garlic fairly. Keep moving it around so the garlic doesn't scorch. After about four minutes, sprinkle a little salt and grind a little pepper. How much? Maybe a smidge over a teaspoon for salt. As for pepper, I always grind until I can smell it.
Mix a little more, then try a bite. It should be just right. Stoic broccoli mellowed by the heated strength of the garlic, flavors heightened by the oil, salt and pepper. Whew. Turn off the heat. The pasta should be done by now. Drain it, place it in a large serving bowl, perhaps drizzle with a little more oil. Get everyone to the table.
You can serve this two ways. Combine pasta and broccoli in an enormous bowl and dish it out from there or plate the pasta first and then top with the broccoli, allowing your guests to toss to their liking. In either case, supply lots of asiago cheese and french bread.
Enjoy.
Note:You might be wondering about why I've called this broccoli monkeys. Pasta of any sort is called monkeys in our house. Of course, there's a story behind it.
When Victor was quite small (two, I think), we were toward the end of a long car ride when I asked him what he wanted for dinner when we got home. After a long thoughtful pause, he said, "Monkeys."
Once we arrived home, I boiled water, made a huge pot of vermicelli, topped it with some oregano, basil and parmesan and presented it to Victor. He did not leave one noodle untouched and left the table with an herb-speckled face.
We've called pasta "monkeys" ever since.
