Last night was the second time I made this lemony green pesto* for pasta and, despite the fact that broccoli is the main ingredient, both kids have gobbled it down enthusiastically — even the veggie-phobe (oops, I mean “selective eater” — thank you, Louise Goldberg, R.D., for that new and improved term.) That’s when I decided the recipe was kid-friendly enough to share as a “TLT’s Table” post.
Even knowing he was eating broccoli, my "selective eater" was not deterred from downing a big bowl of this pasta.
To me, “pesto” has always meant a rich, nut-based mixture involving pine nuts or walnuts, basil, garlic and parmesan. But this pesto is really just a broccoli puree that’s made light and refreshing with the inclusion of lemon juice and zest, and a little richer with olive oil and cheese. I can’t say I followed Martha’s recipe exactly because I omitted the white beans and I had a lot more broccoli on hand than she calls for. I was also making two batches, one to sauce whole wheat penne for the grown-ups and one for a fortified white flour pasta my kids much prefer. (Just one of the many compromises I make all the time, lest anyone think things are nutritionally perfect in the TLT household.) So I was really winging it on the proportions and just tasted the mixture as I went along — it’s forgiving that way, so feel free to experiment. And be sure to add a decent amount of the pasta cooking water so that the pesto is almost fluffy, rather than stiff and dry.
Hope your kids like this dish as much as mine do. My daughter asked me to pack the leftovers in her lunch today!
[* = The Martha people seem to have attached the wrong photo to the recipe link I've shared above -- that photo is for a lentil, tomato and fried egg dish. This pasta will be a fresh, light green, brighter than the dark green of a traditional basil pesto.]
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{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
It’s funny, I’ve had that Martha recipe in my “try” pile for some time, but didn’t think the kids would eat it… I’ll definitely give it a shot now. In terms of the pasta – have you tried the yellow Barilla box? Not as good as whole wheat – but better than regular pasta, I swapped and my kids never knew the difference, since it looks just like white pasta.
Shira: I have tried the Barilla yellow box but for some reason no one in my family has embraced it. So I’ve been buying Ronzoni in a pink/purple box that has added fiber – the same amount, I believe, as in whole wheat. And before everyone piles on and tells me why this product is inferior and represents everything wrong with processed food, just know I’ve thought it all already.
Another thing I do, with mixed success, is just make white pasta and whole wheat (same shape) and mix it half and half. Or, if the sauce is really strongly flavored, then I go all whole wheat and no one is the wiser.
There’s a great recipe in Marcella Hazan’s Classic Italian Cooking where you cook broccoli, chop it into tiny pieces, then stir it into olive oil and butter that has browned some minced garlic. You then toss it with pasta, parsley and mozarella. It is divine, although as the mozzarella melts I always have a panicky moment when I am sure it will all glop together into one giant stringy mess. In the end it is a green, garlicky thing of beauty. It sounds a lot like the broccoli pesto here, although this dish is so much healthier!