Orecchiette with Broccoli Pesto
If you’re a lover of the garlicky green goodness they call pesto, you’re going to enjoy this nutritious broccoli version. This recipe requires almost the same ingredients as the classic sauce but I traded in pine nuts for almonds and parmesan for pecorino. And of course, the addition of the star of this dish, broccoli.
I’ve been tuning in to 9th Annual Food Revolution Summit (highly recommend listening — it’s free!) this week and really enjoyed Dr Kristi Funk’s talk bout cancer fighting foods. I learned about the anti-cancer power of the cabbage family, which includes vegetables like cauliflower, bok choy, Brussels sprouts, and kale to name a few. Broccoli is one of these vegetables that has high levels of a beneficial compound called sulforaphane, a sulfur-rich compound that “seeks out and destroys cancer cells”.
Through what’s called ‘myrosinase activity’, cruciferous vegetables release an enzyme called myrosinase, which is required to transform glucosinates into the super powerful compound sulforaphane. However, myrosinase is very sensitive to heat, which is why Dr Funk stresses the importance of eating cruciferous vegetables raw or lightly steamed to get all the benefits of sulforaphane.
Dr Funk’s cooking tip is simple — cook these types of vegetables how you normally would, and then add or mix in some raw veg at the end. For this particular dish, I warmed up half the broccoli pesto over the stove and when the pasta was done, mixed in the cooked pesto and the leftover raw pesto so I could get all the nutrients form eating raw broccoli.
What’s so great about pesto is you can add whatever herbs, greens or leftover stems and stalks you have saved. Cilantro, parsley, dandelion greens, and arugula are some other delicious additions if you have them in your fridge. And the icing on top is just how little prep is required to make pesto. Most of the work is done by your handy food processor and taste buds. Which brings me to my last point — always taste before your serve. Let your buds tell you if you need more acid (lemon), salt (sea salt or cheese) or less acid (more olive oil). Once you get the taste and consistency you desire, you’re pretty much set.
Ingredients
1-2 heads of broccoli
1 cup grated pecorino cheese
1 small shallot, diced
1 cup fresh basil
Juice of 1/2 a large lemon
4 garlic cloves
10-12 raw almonds
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Red chili flakes
Sea salt and black pepper
Instructions
Place all ingredients (except for olive oil and chili flakes) into a food processor.
Process on low and gradually pour in the olive oil until you get your desired consistency.
Set aside half of the pesto. Heat the other half in a saucepan on low heat. Add salt, pepper and chili flakes to taste.
Meanwhile, cook your pasta according to the directions on the package.
Once the pasta is done, drain and rinse under cold water. Then place the pasta back into the pot you just cooked it in and pour the warmed up pesto and the raw pesto over the pasta. Stir so pasta is well-coated.
Garnish with some pecorino or parmesan and erve alongside some leafy greens. Enjoy!
