lemon pepper broccoli pesto

Pesto is Manu’s ugh-I-ate-so-much-of-that-in-college food. Pesto. 

Mine is a toss-up, and a classy one at that, V8 Splash &Raspberry Smirnoff (ew) and chicken wings. Imagine it, Manu was sitting around his dorm with bowls of al dente penne rigate and basil-packed pesto while I gorged on industrial strength honey barbecue wings. I repel at the thought of them now, as Manu does whenever I beg him to let me make pesto. “Do you know how many jars of that I ate in college?” is always his response. Jarred pesto + box of pasta = instant cheap meal. Those twenty-something Italians are refined.

I devised a plan to get my pesto fix, and though completely different, it’s much more filling, packed with vitamins and super easy to make. If only we knew about it in college!

Lemon Pepper Broccoli Pesto

1 head broccoli

1/2 lemon, zested and juiced

1/4 tsp black pepper

handful basil leaves

1/4 cup grated parmigiano cheese

1 tbs olive oil

1/2 pound penne rigate (or other short pasta like fusilli)

Bring a pot of salted water to boil. Add the broccoli, chopped, and cook until tender, 5-8 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the broccoli to a blender with the other ingredients. Blend until smooth and creamy. In the meantime, bring the water back to a boil, and add the pasta. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking liquid. Pour the broccoli mixture back into the pot with the pasta, adding the cooking liquid as necessary to create the consistency you want. Taste and adjust the seasonings and serve immediately with more grated cheese. 

And now to you, what was your ugh-I-ate-so-much-of-that-in-college food?