Cooked broccoli is smashed with lots of garlic and extra virgin olive oil, then tossed with pasta, sharp Pecorino cheese and lemon creating a velvety sauce that coats the pasta in a deconstructed-broccoli-pesto-sort-of-way.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil Garlic Red Pepper Broccoli Florets Pasta
Prep and measure all ingredients. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Then, combine the olive oil, garlic and red pepper flakes in a large pan over medium-low heat and cook until the garlic starts to soften and brown lightly.
Once the pasta water comes to a boil, add salt, then the broccoli, stirring frequently. Cook the broccoli for 4-5 minutes only–until it becomes soft and “smashable”. Test this out by piercing a piece with a fork.
While the pasta is cooking, use either a potato masher or large fork and smash the broccoli into small pieces. Leave a few small chunks. Season with the salt and black pepper.