Broccoli and Bowties

If I had to choose one dish, and only one dish, to eat for the rest of my life this would certainly be it. I mean sure, I'd probably rather choose lobster, but that is so rich it might get old after a week (or two). This dish is light and flavorful. I just feel downright healthy when I eat it (I can hear all you anti-gluten peeps sneering!).

When we were living in Texas and I was great with child, a dear neighbor and friend brought this dish to me, and it was perfect. At the time, everything, was making me very sick. I couldn't keep anything down (as per usual when I am pregnant). This just tasted so fresh and good, and I kept it down! Since then we've probably had this dish on average about once a week. We never get sick of it, the kids love it, and it comes together quickly. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Broccoli and Bowties

by: Cheryl, awesome neighbor in Texas

8 cups broccoli florets
kosher salt
1 lb farfalle (bow tie) pasta (or as you can see here, penne works just fine too)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 lemon, zested (buying a microplane was probably the best decision I ever made)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup toasted pignolis (pine nuts)
freshly grated parmesan

Bring a large pan of lightly salted water to a boil. Boil the broccoli for five minutes. Remove broccoli with a slotted spoon and place in a large bowl, set aside. In the same water, cook the bow-tie pasta according to package directions, about 12 minutes. Drain well and add to broccoli.

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

*Kristi's notes: Pine nuts can cost their weight in gold it seems. The best place I have found to purchase them is from www.nuttyguys.com. Over the last several months there have been lots of groupons available for nuttyguys where you can get $25 worth of product for $10, they also offer free pick-up at their warehouse in Salt Lake if you are local.

To toast your pine nuts place them in a dry saute pan over medium low heat and cook, tossing often until they start to turn brown. Don't walk away - trust me. There is nothing worse than over-toasting your pine nuts, unless as Janssen says, you like the salty taste of tears in your pasta.

Also, I have a motto in our house "lemon is good, but more lemon is better" and therefore I am very generous with both the lemon zest and lemon juice when I make this recipe, usually almost doubling those ingredients. I also have been known to sprinkle generously with lemon pepper seasoning.