Thursday, May 1, 2008

Pasta With Broccoli, Roasted Garlic and Pine Nuts

I always like a challenge (ok, so that's not really true)....I occasionally like a challenge. Now, normally when I have veggie guests over, I keep the sides veggie and then create some sort of alternative for the entree. The other day however, this here rabid carnivore created not only an entire vegetarian meal, but an entire vegan meal...so anything is possible, right? The centerpiece of this extravaganza is the following pasta tastiness.

I've recently discovered the awesomeness that is roasted garlic. Now we all know how much I love garlic, so it's strange that I didn't run into the warm olive oil-y arms of roasted garlic a long time ago. But now that I know how easy it is, and how num num nummy, the possibilities are endless. And so to begin:


1 head garlic, separated into cloves
1/3 c olive oil
1/8 c pine nuts
salt & pepper
1 1/2 lb broccoli, cut into florets
1 lb pasta

Preheat over to 350. Toss the garlic with the oil and roast in a covered ovenproof dish for approximately 30 minutes. Toast the pine nuts alongside the garlic for 15 minutes.
When the garlic is cool, squeeze the cloves from their peels and mash them with the oil. Add salt and pepper.
Boil the broccoli until tender. Cook the pasta in boiling salted water. Reserve 1/2 c of the pasta water when draining the pasta.
Toss the pasta, broccoli, pine nuts, and garlic mixture. Add some of the pasta water if the mixture is too dry.

3 comments:

seriously said...

I have recently been converted to the joys of...get ready...CAULIFLOWER. that's right...the c-dawg. It is surprinsingly versatile in its boiled and roasted forms and...oh god, I'll just stop right now.

LianaCatherine said...

Well, as the vegan on the receiving end of this deliciousness I have to say a) this was the first all-vegan meal anyone outside of boyfriend or fam has made for me ever, and b) Holy Yum Town! You are a pasta miracle worker. I though I had pasta makin' down, but no way. This was delish. Well played, Muffin!

BMWBeatz said...

You know what would help that dish a lot? Some meat. Seriously, grind up some ham and beef and lamb and veal....(list of meats trails off).......