INGREDIENTS:
1 3/4 lb broccoli, thick stems discarded
1 lb spaghetti
1 (750-ml) bottle red wine (preferably Zinfandel)
1 teaspoon sugar
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped (2 tablespoons)
1/2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 oz finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1/2 cup)
Accompaniment: finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
DIRECTIONS:
Cut broccoli into 1-inch-wide florets (with 1/2 inch of stem). Blanch in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water, uncovered, 2 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a large colander to drain, reserving broccoli-cooking liquid in pot, then transfer broccoli to a bowl.
Return cooking liquid to a boil and cook spaghetti, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes (pasta will not be fully cooked). Drain in colander and return empty pot to stovetop. Add wine and sugar to pot and boil vigorously 2 minutes. Add spaghetti and shake pot to prevent pasta from sticking. Gently stir with tongs until coated and boil over high heat, stirring occasionally, until most of liquid is absorbed, about 6 minutes (pasta will be al dente).
Immediately after adding spaghetti to wine mixture, cook garlic and red pepper flakes in oil in a deep 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately low heat, shaking skillet occasionally, until garlic is pale golden, about 5 minutes. Add broccoli, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring, 1 minute.
Increase heat to high and pour spaghetti mixture into skillet, tossing with tongs to combine (skillet will be very full). Cook, stirring, until all of wine is absorbed, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cheese. Serve immediately.
Gourmet
October 2005
selected by Anne ES
6 comments:
Delicious!!! This recipe is a total keeper, Anne – thank you so much. I actually remember dog-earing it in the magazine, but I never got off my ass to make it. I will use this recipe again and again, and I’m even thinking about trying it, sans pasta, as a side dish for Thanksgiving. (We’re obviously not going to a kosher home, but I think it would be great without the cheese, too.)
First of all, we tried to go minimal on the prep and cleanup, so we steamed the broccoli in a metal colander right inside the pot and re-used the steaming water for the pasta, which was then drained in the same colander. We started the broccoli-garlic mixture while the pasta was boiling, but we probably would have preserved a little more greenness had we followed directions and waited for the wine mixture to start.
The garlic (we used bottled) was intensely pungent, and it tasted so satisfying, but I felt stinky for days afterwards. (I think I avoided kissing some people hello, but it was for their own good!) We used some cheapo Spanish wine, and it was completely gross to drink, but perfectly fine for cooking. Upscale foodie mags always say you shouldn’t cook with something you wouldn’t drink, but I think that’s nonsense…plus, they’re dependent on revenue from schmancy wine advertisers, so they kind of have to say that. The sweet-spicy-savory complexity was a big turn-on, and the ingredients seemed to balance each other perfectly.
The visual impact of the vibrant green and regal purple was huge; as a kosher girl, I’ve never tasted pasta with squid ink, but I always thought looked cool, and this was sort of similar. The red pepper flakes offered little flecks of fiery color, too, especially because we tripled the amount the recipe called for…I guess we kind of like it hot. We also like it rich and fatty, so we quadrupled the amount of cheese. I mean, come on – who uses ½ cup of cheese for an entire box of pasta?!? (1/2 cup is supposedly the serving size for ice cream, too, but I’ve never met anyone who doesn’t just finish off the pint. Puh-leeze.)
The textural contrast of the silky noodles, crisp broccoli, and decadent melting cheese was enormously appealing. Normally, eating a bowl of pasta gets boring after a while, but this really kept our mouths engaged…so much so that just Jeremy and myself polished off the whole dish in one sitting. Granted, we were watching a few hours of TV during this binge, but that’s still a lot of food! Next time, I might invite guests or try to set aside “planned leftovers” for lunch…but there will definitely be a next time.
So, I have to admit, that I too was very skeptical about this recipe, but my husband and I both LOVED it! We added more red pepper than was called for and loved the spicy taste with the garlic and subtle red wine pasta. We were a little confused by the cheese. Since I LOVE cheese, I added more than an ounce, but I didn't think there should have been any cheese. The parmigian didn't really match the garlic/red peppper/wine tastes already there. Our dinner guests cancelled at the last minute so now we have TONS of leftovers that we'll enjoy for the next few dinners. I would DEFINITELY pass on this recipe and will definitely make it again.
I am with Karen on this one, as were my two tasters, Jeremy M. Sharp and Melissa Rock. It smelled amazing while cooking and looked great, but the flavor in the end was below our expectations.... I also feel like I used a really hardy amount of garlic, and added extra red chili, so am not sure what would have made it have a better final result. I used a Cabernet Merlot blend, and I do think using a stronger bodied wine like a Zinfandel might have made the difference in a better overall flavor. I also think I overcooked my broccoli a bit, so it was dull in color and blended in, rather than adding some color and crunch.
If I make this again, I would: Use a stronger bodied wine, Blanch the broccoli for less time, Add more red chili pepper, and Leave the cheese as a topping rather than a mix in.
That said, it was a fun recipe to make, and the color of the noodles was so beautiful! I think using a penne for a side dish could be a good way to go. Other notes: I also used whole wheat spaghetti, and due to the quantity, like Annie, I ended up putting the broccoli mixture into the pot with the spaghetti rather than the other way around.
So while the look of this recipe was totally amazing, I think I'm going to be the lone person that didn't love it. And I think that's because I'm a wuss when it comes to hot things. The taste of the garlic and the red pepper flakes was maybe a bit too intense for me, but the pasta cooked in the wine was a great idea (think I'll use it again!) and I never would have thought of putting broccoli in. My husband absolutely LOVED it and suggested adding chicken next time, so I'm glad to hear it was a nice addition.
Also, I just put the cheese on top because I didn't think it would mix well, and it melted pretty nicely as a garnish, though it could always use more cheese.
Next time - less red pepper, more cheese, maybe some chicken. But it will get made again - it was just too cool looking and different not to!
I think this would make a beautiful cold pasta salad with a different, smaller type of pasta like bow-ties.
Loved the recipe but did not pay attention to the amount of oil and therefore used way less than i should have. it was a bit dry but still good. next time, i will use more oil.
thanks!
I enjoyed cooking the dish and it was easy which was the best part for me. I used red wine this time, but I would like to try the recipe with Zinfandel next time. My husband who does not like broccolis liked the dish. My friends who also tried liked it so much that they asked me for the recipe. Highly recommended!
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