broccoli and macaroni

Broccoli with Macaroni

 A message from Anthony Ciani about this recipe-

"My grandmother used to make this for me when I would visit her as a kid and there wasn't much in the fridge. As a kid, I was always skeptical of the broccoli stems but now they are my favorite part. It has the most delicious garlicky, olive oily, cheesy taste that makes it perfect for kids, but I've been making it into my adult life cause it's that good. Great for a quick and delicious lunch or dinner."

Ingredients

1 head of fresh Broccoli, cut into small florets, peels stems and cut into thin slices

1 or more cloves garlic, crushed or roughly diced

Olive oil

 Red pepper flakes

Salt and Pepper

1.      Wash and prepare broccoli as directed above. Set aside.

2.      Head about ¼ cup olive oil and lightly sauté crushed garlic until fragrant. Add red pepper flakes to taste.

3.      Add broccoli to pan. Season with salt and add about ½ cup of water. Cover pan and steam broccoli until tender.

4.      In the meantime, bring a pot of salted water to a rapid boil. Cook macaroni until al dente. Drain and add macaroni to broccoli. Finish cooking in pan, about 2 minutes. If soupy mixture is desired, add some pasta water with the pasta. Too much water will drown out the flavor of the dish however.

Notes:

Traditionally, a mixture of small or broken spaghetti is used for this dish. Long pasta is not appropriate.

1 lb of pasta is suitable for 1 large head of fresh broccoli.