Broccoli Pesto & Fusilli Pasta Recipe

A really tasty,healthy and quick recipe from 101cookbooks.com.

• Ready In: 15 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1  medium head of broccoli, cut into very small florets (about 3 cups)
• 1⁄2 cup walnuts, toasted
• 1⁄3 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated
• 1  garlic clove
• 1⁄2  a  lemon, juice of
• 1⁄4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1⁄3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1⁄2 lb  dried whole wheat pasta (bite-sized, fusilli, penne, etc)
• 3  handfuls spinach or 3  chard leaves, well chopped
•  handful of oily black olives, pitted
• 1⁄4 cup parmesan cheese, for serving

Directions

1. You can certainly add a handful of basil to this for more traditional flavor - you'd still get the added nutritional perks from the broccoli. And by all means, feel free to cook your broccoli in a skillet with a bit of salt, olive oil, and water. This way you won't lose as many nutrients in the cooking process - the boil and drain method takes more nutrients out of the final dish. I did the boil out of convenience this time around.
2. Bring two pots of water to a boil, one large, one medium. In the medium pot you'll cook the broccoli, the large can be used for the pasta.
3. To cook the broccoli, salt the boiling water and add the broccoli. Cook for just twelve seconds. Drain immediately and run cold water over the broccoli to stop the cooking. Reserve a few of the small broccoli trees and puree the rest in a food processor along with the walnuts, Parmesan, garlic, lemon juice and salt. Drizzle in the olive oil while still blending. Taste, adjust with more salt or lemon juice if needed and set aside.
4. To cook the pasta, salt the boiling water generously and add the pasta. Boil until just barely tender. Drain, transfer the hot pasta to a large bowl and stir in the spinach, it should wilt. Gently stir in about half of the pesto. Taste, add more pesto to your liking. Served topped with olives, the reserved broccoli florets, and a dusting of Parmesan cheese.