Garlic Oil Pasta with Charred Broccoli and Lemon
Ingredients
- 1 poundbroccoli
- 5 tablespoonolive oil
- 6 clovesgarlic
- 1 poundpasta (any short shape (penne, fusilli, or rigatoni))
- 1lemon
- ¼ teaspoonred pepper flakes
- ·salt
- ·black pepper
Prep
- 01
Mince 6 cloves garlic.
- 02
Cut 1 lemon in half.
Method
- 01
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cut broccoli into bite-sized florets.
- 02
Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches if needed, add broccoli florets cut-side down. Do not stir for 3 to 4 minutes, until they are deeply golden and charred on one side. Toss and cook another 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then transfer to a plate.
- 03
Add pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente, about 2 minutes less than package directions.
- 04
While pasta cooks, add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil to the same skillet over low heat. Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook gently for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant, stirring often; do not let garlic brown.
- 05
Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain pasta. Add hot pasta to the garlic oil and toss gently. Add the charred broccoli back in. Squeeze the lemon juice over the top and add 1/4 cup pasta water. Toss to combine, adding more pasta water a splash at a time until the sauce is light and silky. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
- 06
Serve immediately.
Spice Tips
For gentle warmth, the 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes is just a whisper. Increase to 1/2 teaspoon for more spice. Fresh herbs like parsley or basil can be scattered over the finished bowl, or a squeeze of anchovy paste stirred into the garlic oil adds savory depth.
The broccoli is better when left undisturbed during the initial char—it develops deep golden color and caramelized flavor. Overworking it results in unevenly cooked florets. Pasta water is essential to finish the sauce: it's starchy and helps the garlic oil cling to each piece of pasta.