I was preoccupied with the cherries when the broccoli was ready, but I had no time to get creative so we gave most of it away. Now that I have the time, the broccoli is pretty well gone and I will have to wait for the secondary crop to grow. If you like pasta, this dish is for you. Penne rigate has ridges to better hold the sauce, but don’t expect a thick cheese sauce here. Still it is delicious. The preparation is minimal; one more dish to cook on the stove. Kamloops is in the middle of a heat wave.
BROCCOLI PENNE ALFREDO
2 cups of penne rigate salt
2 cups chopped broccoli
2 Tbsp olive oil
1-1/2 cups slivered Canadian back bacon [it’s lean, cured ham]
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup diced red onion
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• Bring a medium Dutch pot of salted water to a rolling boil.
• Boil the pasta according to package directions.
• While the pasta is boiling, wash and chop the broccoli.
• Cut the back bacon into slivers, mince the garlic and dice the red onion.
• When the pasta is al dente, add the chopped broccoli to the pot.
• Bring to the boil and immediately remove pot from the heat. Set the pot aside, the residual heat will continue to cook the broccoli, but will not soften the pasta significantly.
• Place the oil in a non-stick fry pan and fry the slivered back bacon for a couple of minutes on medium heat to crisp it up a little.
• Transfer the back bacon to a bowl.
• Add the garlic and the onion to the remaining oil and sauté for a minute or two.
• Add the cream and the milk and bring it to a boil.
• Reduce heat and simmer slowly for a couple of minutes.
• Meanwhile drain the pasta and the broccoli and place it back to the pot.
• Add the Parmesan to the sauce and remove from the heat.
• Add the reserved back bacon to the pasta mixture.
• Add the sauce stir to combine.
• Cover and let dish rest for five minutes before serving.
