Ingredients:

  • 1 lb Orecchiette, Fusilli, or Cavatappi pasta
  • 1.5 lbs Fresh broccoli, cut into small florets
  • 2 tbsp Kosher salt
  • 1/3 cup Extra virgin olive oil
  • 6 cloves Fresh garlic, thinly sliced or minced
  • 1/2 tsp Crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 cup Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 tbsp Fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp Lemon zest

Instructions:

  1. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil. Add pasta and set a timer for 4 minutes less than the package al dente instructions.
  2. When the timer goes off, add all the broccoli florets directly into the boiling water with the pasta to finish cooking together.
  3. While the pasta and broccoli cook, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes, sautéing until golden and fragrant (about 2 minutes). This creates the garlic-infused oil.
  4. Before draining the pasta, reserve 1.5 cups of starchy pasta water. Drain the remaining water from the pasta and broccoli.
  5. Add the drained pasta and broccoli to the skillet with the garlic oil. Pour in 1 cup of the reserved pasta water and half of the Parmesan cheese.
  6. Stir vigorously over medium heat, mashing some of the broccoli against the sides of the skillet to help create a creamy sauce. Stir in the remaining Parmesan cheese, fresh lemon juice, and lemon zest.