Bowtie Pasta with Broccoli and Broccoli Sauce

From: Chef #899489

On Oct 9, 2008

I've always loved broccoli and this is a great new way to eat it! But I did make several changes to please my palate and dietary needs. I added edamame to the puree to add protein and substituted one of the tablespoons of butter with olive oil. For added flavor I included garlic and onions and added red pepper flakes and Parmesan to the puree. And I used milk instead of water. The texture was fantastic. I will be making again!

From: queenofeats

On Sep 8, 2008

My husband and I really liked this recipe. It didn't revolutionize the way I look at broccoli, and it doesn't really compete with more "flavorful" sauces like tomatoes or creams. The key is that it's different on its own and (in my opinion) can't really be compared well. It was pasta, and it was broccoli, in a lovely simple sauce that brought out the flavors of both very well - nothing more and nothing less. I used unsalted butter as usual but I think salted might actually work better in this case and help to bring out even more flavor from the sauce. I will be keeping this one on file when I need a good and healthy comfort food - those are so hard to come by! Thanks so much.

From: Akikobay

On Jul 6, 2004

We had to rename this pasta to, "Martian Pasta" because it has become a staple in our house. I was actually trying to find a recipe that incorporates chicken with broccoli, but when I saw this recipe...I knew we had to make it. My DD ate 4 helpings of this the first night we made it and every night since, she hopes that it'll magically find its way to her plate. Even my son, who isn't horribly fond of broccoli, admits this is really yummy. The recipe is perfect as written, I don't need to add any water to get a smooth sauce. As I've made the recipe, I've used chicken stock to cook the broccoli and added in a sprinkle of parmesan before serving. It's wonderful.

From: Miss Dipsy

On Apr 15, 2005

Great way to use up the glut of broccoli I currently have in my garden, and the kids love it too! They do like broccoli anyway, but my daughter has a bad habit with pasta dishes of picking out the pasta and leaving everything else, even if "everything else" is something she usually likes, but with this she ate every single last bit! I've now cooked this several times, with variations. I tend to steam the broccoli instead of boiling it as it retains a bit more nutritional value, and also saves pans & energy as you can steam the florets over the pasta. Also, I've found this recipe to be very adaptable, and have successfully added green (bell) peppers (which I steamed with the stems), spinach (cooked then pureed with the stems), cheese (parmesan/cheddar), and pesto (really good if you're adding spinach as it perks up the flavour a bit), and pine nuts (toasted & sprinkled on top). I like to stick broadly to the green colour, as it is definately part of the attraction of this dish!