Death by Garlic Broccoli and Bowtie Pasta
With a third cup of garlic cloves, this Broccoli and Bowtie Pasta is a garlic lover’s dream. I expected complaints from some of the garlic haters in my house, but to my surprise everyone really loved it. Cooking the garlic with lots of butter seems to sweeten it, and mixing it with the tender broccoli, lemon, pine nuts, and Parmesan makes the whole dish hard to stop eating.
One of the things I love about this dish is that, while meatless, it is still a filling and complete meal. I served this dish the other night with some fried calamari and a salad, but the Death by Garlic Broccoli and Bowtie Pasta was truly the star.
The key to success with this recipe is cutting the broccoli in small enough pieces so that it cooks evenly. I’ve made other versions of this dish where large stalks of broccoli are used, and they always end up overcooked or not fully incorporated with the sauce. So, please peel the stalks and then dice them in little pieces, and then chop the florets in half inch pieces so everything cooks evenly.
Lemony Asparagus and Farfalle with Burrata
Ingredients
- ½ pound bowtie pasta
- 1¼ tsp. kosher salt
- 4 tbsp. butter
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 bunch asparagus spears, trimmed, and cut into half inch pieces
- ¼ tsp. red pepper flakes
- 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- ⅓ cup minced garlic
- 2 tbsp. pine nuts
- 2 tbsp. lemon juice
- 4 basil leaves
- 2 tbsp. lemon juice
- 4 balls burrata cheese
Instructions
- In a large pot of well salted boiling water, cook the bowtie pasta until al dente, following the package directions. Drain the pasta and toss with 2 tablespoons of the butter and the Parmesan cheese.
- In a large skillet heat the rest of the butter and the olive oil over medium heat. Add the asparagus, garlic, a ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt, red pepper flakes and the pine nuts. Cook on medium heat until the asparagus is just tender.
- Remove the pan from the heat and add the lemon juice and basil and pasta mixture. Top each portion with burrata cheese.
