Local Lemons

Baked Whole Wheat Orecchiette with Broccoli, Asparagus & Peas

Sometimes I wish I could eat pasta every day of my life. Seriously – I would have no qualms about slurping down homemade trenette with pesto, pappardelle with a thick ragu, or grandma’s cheesy lasagna every single day of my life. This unrealistic infatuation with the mighty noodle happens to me every time I create a pasta dish that turns out perfect. By perfect, I mean every aspect of the dish fits together in gloriously delicious harmony, with a myriad of tastes and textures in every last bite.

This particularly perfect pasta recipe will prove that not all baked pasta dishes are vein-cloggingly (is that a word?) bad for you. Not all semolina that comes out of the oven must be covered with cream and cheese (not that I have anything against a good mac and chz). This baked dish combines first-of-the-season asparagus, fresh broccoli, roasted garlic and peas, with high-quality Asiago and Romano cheeses, and some homemade breadcrumbs. Not too unhealthy, right? I actually reasoned that it was healthy enough to take a rather large second serving.

One note – although it would be much quicker, don’t skip the roasting step. The caramelized vegetables are what makes this dish so special. 

Spicy Broccolini & Caper Aioli

Sometimes, albeit rarely, I just can't make time to go food shopping. Between my birthday celebrations and finally starting a new job, my cooking is unfortunately the one that's hurting. Actually, Alejandro may be suffering a bit too...

Although I thought I'd be eating brown rice with weeks-old onion for dinner, I was pleasantly surprised to find some beautiful broccolini waiting in my fridge. If you're new to this relatively unusual green, it looks almost like broccoli rabe, but its flavor lacks the bitterness. It's more like a child of spinach and broccoli. 

Forsaking the rice, I decided to toast whole wheat bread and make it interesting with a light coating of caper aioli. I added some garlic to the aioli and skipped it when sauteing the greens - something I rarely leave out when sauteing. The result was a completely satisfying light meal with bright leafy greens. Go easy on the aioli though, a little goes a long way.