025: Broccoli Pasta

An easy weeknight meal that pulls its weight

Broccoli Pasta (recipe, Carter’s Cookbook 2)

Does anyone else often think about the time President Bush (the elder) infamously said that he hated broccoli, and the firestorm that ensued? Just me? I was only five years old when this happened so I cannot say when and why and how I became aware of the drama, but I think of it often (weird, I admit). This might be because I am a great lover of broccoli, and am mystified as to how anyone could dislike it. After a bit of light research I’ve read that Bush hated it due to being forced to eat it as a child, and I assume that his mother was not serving it covered in garlic and butter and salt the way that my mom did. On a related note, I am amused to learn (again from my light Wikipedia-research) that during Clinton’s campaign Hillary held a sign that read: “Bring broccoli back to the White House!” And during his presidency, Obama declared that broccoli was his favorite food. The good old days of American politics. Positively quaint compared with the American politics of now.

But back to the butter and garlic: growing up, my mom made Marcella’s Garlic Broccoli which I was/am obsessed with and remember devouring. She made it last time she visited us, and it still rules. But my latest broccoli-centric obsession is Carter Were’s version of Broccoli Pasta.

Carter, being a mom of three, can be relied upon for recipes that are do-able with kids about, involving minimal prep, that turn out exceptionally. This recipe does not involve the chopping of anything. Getting it going takes only about 5 minutes—by cutting two heads of broccoli into florets, putting them in a pot fitted with a steamer and filled with a several inches of water, and setting the flame on medium-high. I can do this quick first step while watching my son, and forget about it while we wait for Reed to get home from work. By the time he arrives to take over I can finish making the pasta in about the time it takes for the water to come to a boil and the pasta to cook. While the pasta boils I add half a stick of butter and a few tablespoons of olive oil and a bit of salt to the broccoli (now in a large pan), and mash it all up on medium-low heat. It should fall apart effortlessly. Then I add anchovies (or Colatura di Alici), and the zest of one lemon. Once the pasta is al dente it’s added to the broccoli, on medium heat, with tongs or a fine mesh strainer (depending on type), along with a half cup of pasta water, and a bit more oil. I thoroughly mix the pasta into the sauce, adding more water as is necessary to really meld everything together while making sure the sauce is a bit loose and silky. And finish with lots of grated parm and chili flakes.

Finishing the broccoli sauce by adding anchovies, chili flakes, and lemon zest

This is the most reliable meal to make if we want to eat the same dinner together with the baby before he gets cranky, either from hunger or ready-for-bed-ness, or both. It’s also a sneaky way to get him to eat broccoli (don’t worry I won’t force him!) as it’s steamed until falling apart into a velvety smooth sauce that the pasta is later immersed in. Thanks to the healthy amount of olive oil, butter, and pasta water there’s no separating the pasta from the broccoli, and the baby so far has never rejected pasta (my kid through-and-through). He has rejected broccoli florets, but he’s an infant and still figuring out what he likes, so I’m not worried. He might eat them right up tomorrow or next week or next month. My favorite pasta shape for him is Ditalini, as it’s baby-sized and the perfect shape for him to work on his pincer grasp. It’s like a micro-Mezze rigatoni. Farfalle is great too, but I usually cut each one in half before I serve it to him. Because I generally always prefer a noodle, like spaghetti or bucatini, I will sometimes cook this in two batches by adding the bucatini to the same pot while Tycho’s ditalini is cooling, having reserved half of the broccoli sauce for the second batch.

Broccoli Farfalle. I’ve also made this with Ditalini (great for babies to work on the pincer grasp), and bucatini (for me and Reed)

If you’re able, I recommend ordering Carter Were’s cookbook. It’s expensive (especially if shipped from New Zealand 😬), but both of her books are two favorites in my cookbook collection. I’m really bummed book 1 is sold out. I have a bit of an obsession with self-published cookbooks, and these volumes are designed and published with immense care and creativity. I’ve seen on Instagram that a few American and European stockists are carrying it, so worth a bit of research to find more affordable shipping, perhaps. It’s worthwhile, not only for the recipes, but for supporting the work of a fantastic cook and recipe creator.

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While I have you, a trio of recommendations:

Something to read / Molly Hippolitus’s Outfit Notes is one of three style newsletters I read the moment they hit the app (have you downloaded the Substack app yet? It’s great and keeps everything out of your inbox if you want. I love it.) Molly has impeccable style. I envy how confident and seemingly effortless and decisive her POV is. Each look is very carefully considered, and items repeated often (relatable!). I purchased Vocavaca’s deep brown overcoat based on her recommendation (and sizing notes that I asked for via Instagram Dm—thank you Molly!). It’s perfect (though sadly no longer on sale!) Her latest newsletter has me searching vintage Betsey Johnson and wanting to wear more than one shade of pink in the same outfit.

Wearing Vocavaca’s brown overcoat at The Plaza yesterday, thanks to the recommendation from Outfit Notes.

Something to listen to / Vibe Check with Sam Sanders, Saeed Jones, and Zach Stafford is my current favorite podcast. I’ve begun going backward, listening through the archive while I wait for a new episode each week. All three of them are a delight (have long-been a fan of Jones and Sanders’ work) and so smart on topics of the day as well as pop culture, but what engages me is their dynamic. I feel grateful to be a fly on the wall of their conversations.

Something to watch / C.B. Strike on HBO Max is a British P.I. detective series we’ve been watching. I don’t know anyone else who watches this show. Feels under the radar. I have long loved Tom Burke (The Souvenir, anyone?), and he and Holliday Granger have great chemistry in this—who doesn’t love a will they, won’t they narrative? We just finished the most recent season, and sadly it goes off the rails a bit. Even though I have NOTES, I love the show. It also features (truly)the most horrible boyfriend character alive, who will really get your blood boiling. Not sure if that last bit lends to this recommendation or not but I enjoy hating the dude (weird, I know, but he’s that despicable). NB: I just discovered upon googling (because I couldn’t remember Tom Burke’s name) that JK Rowling is behind the book(s) that this show is based on. Ugh. I’m sorry. I still recommend the show if you can separate the art from the artist.