🥘 Ingredients
- broccoli 10 oz
- medium-sized ridged pasta 8 oz
- Kosher
- large lemon 1
- tahini 0.33 cup
- extra virgin olive oil 3 ½ tbsp
- pure maple syrup or agave nectar ½ tsp
- ice water to thin ¼ cup
- large shallot 1
- garlic cloves 4
- red pepper flakes is mild ½ tsp
- fresh basil leaves 1 cup
- Heaping flaky sea salt ¼ tsp
If you didn't buy broccoli, use 10 oz asparagus or green beans (cut into 1-inch / 2.5 cm pieces); cook as listed for the broccoli. Or, add shaved zucchini ribbons or chunks of sweet summer tomatoes as you’re assembling the pasta. It’s important for the tahini to be runny and smooth (don’t use the bottom of the jar). If basil isn’t in season, use a mixture of flat-leaf parsley and dill. If using a bulkier pasta shape like rigatoni, you’ll want to use a bit more water, about 10 cup (aka 2 ½ quarts). Storage: Store leftover pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 5 days. It's best chilled or at room temperature instead of heated up. Storage: You can also make the tahini sauce 3 to 4 days in advance and store in the fridge. The sauce will thicken as it sits, so set it out at room temperature before using and give it another good stir before adding it to the pasta. If need, thin it out with a splash of water. Nutrition boost: Use protein pasta. To make it a heartier main course, add some drained and rinsed white beans or chickpeas to the broccoli-shallot mixture and briefly cook. Or, add vegan feta and finely chopped toasted walnuts when it’s time to assemble. (If your walnuts are raw, toast them in a hot dry frying pan over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes first.)
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1Gather: broccoli , medium-sized ridged pasta , Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, large lemon , tahini , extra virgin olive oil , pure maple syrup or agave nectar , ice water to thin , large shallot , garlic cloves , red pepper flakes is mild . For the topping: fresh basil leaves , Heaping flaky sea salt .
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2Bring 8 cup of water in a large saucepan to a boil (see Note 4).
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3Prep the broccoli (see photo here). Use a peeler to shave the outer fibrous layer of the broccoli stalks. Slice off the tough bottom inch (2.5 cm) or so of the stalk. Then thinly slice the stalks into coins and set aside. Cut the crowns into florets (not too big or too small). Keep the coins and florets separate.
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4Cook the pasta. Once the water is nearly boiling, add 1 tbsp of kosher salt. Add the pasta, and once it returns to a boil, start the timer and cook according to the package’s minimum time for al dente pasta minus 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once the timer goes off, add the broccoli florets (not the stems). Cook until the pasta is barely al dente (a little undercooked is okay) and the florets are crisp-tender and bright green (about 3 minutes). Scoop out 1 cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta and broccoli (do not rinse).
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5While the pasta water is heating up or the pasta is cooking, make the tahini sauce. Zest then juice the lemon. In a medium bowl, whisk together the tahini, 1 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp lemon juice, maple syrup, 1/2 tsp kosher salt, and a generous amount of pepper. Add a pinch of the lemon zest, but save the rest for the topping. Whisk until the sauce is well-combined and thick. Stream in the ice water and keep whisking until creamy but pourable. Add more ice water as needed.
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6Make the topping. Combine the slivered basil with the reserved lemon zest and the flaky sea salt. Set aside.
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7While the pasta is cooking, heat the remaining 2 1/2 tbsp olive oil in a large, deep sauté pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the broccoli stems with a few pinches of salt. Cook for 2 minutes , then add the sliced shallots and garlic, and cook for another 2 to 4 minutes, until broccoli stems have some color and shallots are golden. Add the red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds.
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8Assemble the pasta. Add the hot cooked pasta and broccoli to the shallot-broccoli stem mixture, along with the tahini sauce and 3/4 cup pasta water. Keep the pan over medium-high heat and use tongs to vigorously toss everything together, until the sauce is emulsified and clings to the pasta, and the pasta is al dente, about 2 minutes. If needed, add a bit more pasta water to bring everything together.
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9Take off the heat. Stir in most of the basil topping and toss to coat. Taste, adding more salt or pepper to season and a bit more lemon juice, if desired.
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10Just before serving, garnish with remaining topping.