Pasta with Trees
Serves 4
This is an easy cheesy dinner that will be loved by all mac and cheese fans.
Ingredients
- 1 pound broccoli tops
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 pound pasta, such as penne, cavatappi, elbows or medium shells
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
- 2 tablespoons butter, cut up
- 1 cup grated parmesan, Parmigiano Reggiano or Romano cheese
Directions
- Have a grown-up helper (GH) put a big pot of water on to boil for the pasta.
- Separate the broccoli into small "trees" by pulling them apart. Ask your GH to trim off the woody stems of the trees so you can break them up more easily.
- Put the trees into a pot and have your GH add enough water just to cover the tops. The GH should bring the water to a boil and add four pinches of salt to the water. You can count for them.
- Cook the broccoli for five minutes and have the GH drain it.
- When the pasta water boils, have the GH put four more pinches of salt into the pot and add the pasta.
- Cook the pasta to al dente (that’s Italian for “done but still with a bite to it”), according to the package instructions.
- Put the EVOO and butter into a big bowl.
- Ask your GH to add the hot drained pasta and broccoli to the bowl.
- Add the cheese to the bowl and stir it all up until the butter melts and the cheese mixes in. Add a little salt and pepper and taste the pasta to see how the seasoning is.