Mafaldine Limone Broccoli Pasta (Printable Version)
Lemon-garlic mafaldine with tender broccoli and Parmesan in a silky, zesty sauce.
# Ingredient List:
→ Pasta
01 - 14 oz mafaldine pasta
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 large head broccoli (about 10 oz), cut into small florets
03 - 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
→ Sauce & Seasonings
04 - 2 lemons (zest and juice)
05 - 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
06 - 1.4 oz freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
07 - 1/2 tsp chili flakes (optional)
08 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Garnish
09 - Fresh basil or parsley, chopped (optional)
# How to Make:
01 - Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Add the mafaldine and cook according to package directions, subtracting 2 minutes from the recommended time so the pasta finishes in the sauce.
02 - Three minutes before the pasta is done, add the broccoli florets directly to the boiling pasta water. Reserve 1/2 cup of the starchy cooking water, then drain the pasta and broccoli together in a colander.
03 - While the pasta cooks, warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced garlic and chili flakes if using, and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant and just beginning to turn golden, careful not to brown.
04 - Transfer the drained mafaldine and broccoli into the skillet. Pour in the lemon juice and scatter the zest over the top. Add a splash of the reserved pasta water and toss vigorously, adding more water as needed to create a silky, emulsified sauce that coats every ribbon.
05 - Sprinkle the grated Parmesan over the pasta and toss until the cheese melts into the sauce and clings to the noodles. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
06 - Divide among warmed plates immediately. Shower with extra Parmesan and scatter fresh basil or parsley over each portion if desired. Serve right away while hot.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The lemon sauce comes together in the time it takes the pasta to cook, so dinner feels effortless but tastes like you tried much harder than you did.
- Mafaldine catches sauce in every ruffle and fold, making each bite more flavorful than ordinary pasta shapes manage.
02 -
- Garlic goes from golden to burnt in seconds, so pull the pan off the heat the moment you see any color starting to appear.
- That reserved pasta water is the secret weapon that turns oil and lemon juice into an actual sauce, so always save more than you think you need.
03 -
- Undercook the mafaldine by two full minutes because it will continue softening in the skillet, and nobody likes limp ribbons.
- Add the pasta water gradually while tossing rather than pouring it all at once, so you can stop when the sauce looks right.