This one came to me after having learned several recipes from various family members, both domestic and Italian. We were looking for something relatively quick but healthy, and building on what we knew, this was the result.
The central idea is to cook whole garlic, string beans, potatoes, pasta, and thin-sliced broccoli in the same pot, then combine with pesto and olive oil and top with a little fresh ground parmigiano reggiano cheese.
All cooked in the same pot, this is an extremely simple meal to prepare (and to clean up after). The key is to prepare the ingredients so that they cook to desired doneness in succession.
One guarantee... this is simple!
Ingredients:
1 head garlic, peeled, large cloves halved
1 pound string beans, snapped and halved
1 large potato, peeled and cubed
1/2 pound spaghetti, whole wheat or plain, broken in half
1 broccoli crown, florets separated and stem thinly sliced
3-4 Tbs. pesto
A little extra olive oil if needed
Salt and pepper to taste
Parmigiano reggiano cheese for topping
Method:
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the garlic cloves. Return to boil.
After 5 minutes, add string beans. Cook for 5 minutes.
Add potatoes and cook for another several minutes.
Break spaghetti in half, add to pot, and return to boil.
After 3 minutes, add broccoli.
Cook another 5-8 minutes until all ingredients are tender to the tooth.
Drain, return to pan, and mix well with pesto. If a bit dry, add some extra virgin olive oil until desired consistency is obtained.
Serve topped with freshly grated parmigiano reggiano and salt and pepper to taste.
Buon appetito!
