Want simple? Want Meat-less Monday? Then have a filling yet healthy pasta dish: Gluten Free Pasta with Broccoli & Onion!
You don’t always need loads of ingredients for a delicious meal. If you can boil water, you can make this!
Ingredients:
- Gluten Free Pasta of choice. Any shape, just not anything too small. Fussili, Penne, Rigatoni etc.
- 1 Large Head of Broccoli. Washed, Thickest part of stems removed. Not using them here. Slice florets into 1 in. pieces.
- 3 Scallions. Remove root end and last 2 inches of stem. Chop into mini pieces.
- 1 tbl Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Again, as I always do, I like “Light” blend. Plus 1 ½ tbl more at serving time.
- Salt & Pepper to taste, plus salt for the cooking water
- 1 Basil Leaf. Fresh is best. Or ½ teas. Dried.
- Grated Italian Cheese for topping at serving. Parmesan, or Romano.
Directions:
After washing & cutting the Broccoli, set aside until ready to boil.
Put up a large pot of water. Fill the pot about ¾ way full. Salt the water. About ½ teas.
When water is boiling, put in the Broccoli. Allow to boil for 3 minutes. We don’t want mushy Broccoli. So time it. The pieces are small, so this should be adequate time. Scoop out the Broccoli with a ladle with holes or a spider tool. WE WANT THE WATER. DO NOT DRAIN.
In the same water that cooked the Broccoli, bring to a boil again. Now, cook the Pasta in that water. It has lots of flavor from cooking the vegetable!
Cook until al dente. Again…not mushy.
While this is boiling, take a small skillet, and warm the oil. Saute the Scallion or yellow onion if no Scallions are available. Just allow to soften. NOT brown. Set aside.
When the Pasta is done, drain in a colander and place back in the empty pot, or place in a large bowl. Add the Broccoli and Onion. Add Salt & Pepper to your taste. Add chopped Basil and stir gently. Add 1 ½ tbl more EVOO drizzled on top. Stir in to get all of the ingredients coated.
You can add a tablespoon of Butter as well, if you like.
When ready, sprinkle that Cheese on top.
There you go. Not difficult. Not expensive. Not a meat-y meal!
