Ina Garten's Broccoli and Bowties

 

I remember when Ina made this Broccoli and Bowties dish on her cooking show way back in the aughts. Gosh, that was a long time ago. Ina was about 20 years younger and so was I. 

I put this dish on my "to-make list" and then proceeded not to make it for about 20 years. Such is life! 

Back then my "to-make list" felt 20,000 pages, it was quite literally ever-ending. In fact, I used to have nightmares that someone was trying to kill me and in my dream I would be thinking, "wait, you can't kill me yet...I have too many recipes I want to cook first."

Now it's years later, I've shared over a thousand recipes on this blog, and I still feel that way. I still have a million recipes I'd like to make and there is just simply not enough time, especially lately.

I'm going on my 12th week of being quite sick and eating a limited diet. However, I do miss cooking and my husband is a pasta and broccoli lover, so I thought this was the perfect easy peasy dish for me to make him.

Ina likes her broccoli to be firm-tender in this dish, but my husband likes his broccoli a little softer. This is why if you've seen Ina's version her dish looks quite different than mine. My version looks green because the broccoli cooks longer, breaking up, and creating more of a sauce with the Parmesan, butter, oil, and garlic. My husband prefers my version of this dish because the broccoli seems to go further and becomes saucier and is just more broccolier! Look at me creating new words! Either way you make it, this dish is a winner and perfect for this time of year.

Broccoli and Bowties

Adapted from Barefoot Contessa Family Style

by Ina Garten

Serves 6-8

8 cups broccoli florets

salt

1/2 pound farfalle (bowtie) pasta

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon minced garlic

zest of 1 lemon

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/4 cup toasted pignoli (pine) nuts

freshly grated Parmesan cheese, optional

Cook the broccoli for 3 minutes in a large pot of boiling salted water. Remove the broccoli from the water with a slotted spoon or sieve. Place in a large bowl and set aside.

In the same water, cook the bowtie pasta according to the package directions, about 12 minutes. Drain well and add to the broccoli.

Meanwhile, in a small saute pan, heat the butter and the oil and cook the garlic and lemon zest over medium-low heat for 1 minute. Off the heat, add 2 teaspoons salt, the pepper, and lemon juice and pour this over the broccoli and pasta. Toss well. Season to taste, sprinkle with the pignolis and cheese, if using and serve.

Ingredients You Love @ I Heart Cooking Clubs