My grandfather used to make this dinner every Friday night when I visited. My grandmother’s family, being Italian, taught him how to make it while they all lived together after his return from WWII. Ahhh…the closeness of an Italian family!
It’s simple yet full of delicious flavor. You can boil frozen broccoli and toss it with the pasta as my grandfather did (to speed up the cooking time), but I chose to use fresh roasted broccoli and spinach to add some vitamins and a unique twist to the dish. I also made it vegan and gluten free to keep it in alignment with my family’s dietary needs.
See the Tips and Tricks section below the recipe for some helpful recipe ideas.
Servings: 2-3
Preparation + Cooking Time: 40 minutes
Suggested kitchen tools: measuring spoons, measuring cup, large baking sheet, parchment paper, small skillet or sauce pan, garlic press, large pasta cooking pot, strainer, cheesecloth
Ingredients:
2 cups fresh broccoli, chopped (about 1 large head)
8 oz. shell pasta (I used a gluten-free variety)
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2-3 garlic cloves (depending on how much you like garlic), minced or pressed (I used a garlic press)
One 5 oz. bag fresh spinach
1 tablespoon oregano (I used dried)
1 tablespoon basil (I used dried)
Salt and pepper for seasoning
Optional topping-vegan parmesan (I used Violife)
How-To:
Heat the oven to 400 degrees (F)
Rinse the broccoli and chop it into small stalks
Place the chopped broccoli onto a large parchment lined baking tray
Drizzle the 2 tablespoons olive oil over the broccoli. Follow with a couple of dashes of salt and pepper. Toss to combine and lay evenly onto the tray.
Roast the broccoli for 25-30 minutes, stirring at the half way mark
Boil some water for the pasta shells and cook it according to the package directions. Right before it’s done cooking, add the bag of fresh spinach. Drain the pasta and spinach and set aside.
Make the garlic infused olive oil: In a small skillet, warm the 1/4 cup olive oil and minced or pressed garlic cloves on low heat until the garlic sizzles and starts to slightly brown, about 2-3 minutes (this can happen fast so watch over it as it cooks). Strain the garlic out of the oil using a spoon or a cheesecloth.
Pour the garlic infused olive oil over the drained pasta and spinach. Add the roasted broccoli, oregano, basil to the pasta and mix well. Season with salt and pepper to your liking.
To serve: Place the pasta mixture in a bowl or on a plate and top with the optional vegan parmesan cheese
Eat and enjoy!
Tips and Tricks:
I found all my ingredients for this recipe at Whole Foods. Most large grocery stores have all these ingredients as well.
Leftovers keep best when covered and refrigerated
Don’t have time to roast the broccoli? You can boil frozen broccoli in a big of water (steaming it using a lid) for a few minutes and toss it with the pasta, olive oil and herbs.
Broccoli Shells e Olio d'Oliva (V, DF, GF)
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Food prepared, styled and photographed by Carolyn J. Braden