Spaghetti with Broccoli, Garlic, and Olive Oil

Name: Spaghetti with Broccoli, Garlic, and Olive Oil
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 bunch broccoli; 1 pound thick spaghetti; 1/2 cup olive oil; 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced; 1 tbsp red pepper flakes; 1 cup parmesan cheese, grated

December 17, 2017

This is a dish I’ve enjoyed many times at Frank’s in the East Village. Frank Prisinzano, the chef himself, outlines some of the specific techniques he uses in his blog post here, and I’ve done my best to try and recreate the remaining steps here. I love Frank’s pasta recipes, including this one as well as his Pasta with Peas, Cacio e Pepe, and his Short Rib Ragú.

I recently read the cookbook/biography Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat and really enjoyed the description of how those four elements are the key thing to think about when considering any recipe. The author, Samin Nosrat, breaks down all cooking techniques and recipes into their interactions with those four key ingredients. The book made me think of this specific dish in that it is so simple- it uses so few ingredients and steps that the four elements are showcased beautifully.

6 servings

5 mins

15 mins

20 mins

Ingredients

1 bunch broccoli
1 pound thick spaghetti
1/2 cup olive oil
6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 tbsp red pepper flakes
1 cup parmesan cheese, grated

Equipment

Instructions

Cut the broccoli florets into small, uniform pieces. Peel the tough outer skin from the broccoli stem and thinly slice the stem on a bias.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch the broccoli for 4 minutes, then use a slotted spoon to transfer it to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Drain in a colander.
In the same pot of boiling water, cook the thick spaghetti according to package directions until al dente.
Before draining the pasta, reserve 1 cup of the starchy pasta water. Drain the cooked spaghetti in a colander.
In a large dutch oven or skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the sliced garlic and red pepper flakes, stirring until the garlic is fragrant and golden.
Carefully add the reserved pasta water to the skillet to create a garlic broth (brodo). Be cautious as the hot oil may splatter. Bring to a boil for one minute.
Add the blanched broccoli and stir to coat. Then, add the drained spaghetti and grated parmesan cheese, tossing everything together with tongs until well combined.