Pesto Pasta with Broccoli & Blistered Tomatoes
From: Ian Seddon's Cookbook
🥘 Ingredients
- cherry tomatoes 1
- sprigs of fresh thyme 5-6
- extra virgin olive oil 2 tsp
- Kosher
- small lemon 1
- chickpeas 1
- Basil Pesto 11.9 tbsp
- long or ridged pasta 10 oz
- broccoli crowns 12-16 oz
- small handful flat-leaf parsley leaves & tender stems or fresh basil 8 g
- oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes 1 ½ oz
- nutritional yeast 1 tbsp
To stretch out this meal more, you can go up to 12 oz of pasta, but the dish will be a bit less saucy. Add more olive oil, lemon juice, and salt/pepper to taste. For a fun twist, if you have any fresh sage, try topping the pasta with fried sage, found on page 9 of The Fresh Herbs Companion. Storage: Store the pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. It’s great cold (pasta salad-style!) but if desired, reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until heated through, adding a splash of water if needed. Add on freshly chopped parsley/basil or a squeeze of lemon juice if desired. Nutrition boost: Use whole wheat pasta for added fiber. For more protein, stir some hemp seeds into the pesto before tossing it with the pasta, or use another can of chickpeas. For more veggie content, toss the pesto pasta with finely chopped baby spinach in step 7. Shortcut: If you have sweet tomatoes, skip roasting the tomatoes and simply fold in fresh chopped tomatoes at the end. Shortcut: Skip the lemon zest and/or sun-dried tomatoes.
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1Gather: cherry tomatoes , sprigs of fresh thyme , extra virgin olive oil , Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, small lemon , chickpeas , Basil Pesto , long or ridged pasta , broccoli crowns , small handful flat-leaf parsley leaves & tender stems or fresh basil , oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes , nutritional yeast .
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2Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat to 400ºF / 205°C. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil for the pasta.
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3Line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper. Add the tomatoes and thyme, and toss with 2 tsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp kosher salt, and pepper to taste, arranging the sprigs on top of the tomatoes. Roast for 17-20 minutes , or until the tomatoes are blistered in spots and wrinkly. Discard the thyme sprigs, leaving behind any loose leaves.
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4Zest and juice the lemon; set aside the zest for step 8. To a medium bowl, add the chickpeas, 2 tbsp of Basil Pesto, 1 tsp of lemon juice, and a couple pinches of salt and pepper. Stir and set aside to marinate.
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5While waiting for the water to boil, prepare your side salad (if you’re making one).
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6Once the water is boiling, add 1 tbsp kosher salt (or 2 tsp sea salt). Add the pasta and set a timer according to the box’s minimum time for al dente pasta, minus 2 ½ minutes. For example, if the box says “cook for 9-11 minutes for al dente pasta,” set a timer for 6 ½ minutes (9 - 2 ½ = 6 ½). Once the timer goes off, add the broccoli to the pot. Cook until the pasta is barely al dente and the florets are bright green and tender but with a bite, 2 ½ minutes. Drain the pasta and broccoli, but do not rinse. Shake the colander to dry well. Off the heat, return the pasta and broccoli to the pot.
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7While the tomatoes and pasta/broccoli cook, chop the parsley/basil, if using, and drain and chop your sun-dried tomatoes.
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8To the pasta and broccoli, add the remaining Basil Pesto ( timer 1/2 cup). Add a few squeezes of lemon juice, nutritional yeast, 1/4 tsp of kosher salt, and several twists of pepper. Toss until the pasta is evenly coated.
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9Add the lemon zest, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, pesto-marinated chickpeas, and roasted tomatoes (including any juices and loose thyme leaves from the pan). Toss again. Season to taste with more lemon juice, salt, or pepper as desired.
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10Garnish the pasta with chopped parsley or basil, if using. For richness, finish with a drizzle of good-quality olive oil. Serve with your side salad, if you made one.