Cheesy Broccoli Pasta

Broccoli is one of the hardest vegetables to get children to eat. It is usually right up there with spinach and other green vegetables. So it is the same with Anjalie. However, there are just two dishes with broccoli that she totally loves! One is a stir-fry with garlic with plain rice and the other is cheesy broccoli pasta. Tonight when I asked what she wanted for dinner. The cheeky one said, "I want buccoli (broccoli) pasta, Mummy. I will be a good girl and eat all out. So you can give me a "well done" sticker". Since when is it okay to demand reward stickers?! Well, anyway, if your kids/others in your family are anything like Anjalie, with broccoli, this is by far a great way to get them to enjoy it. The broccolis remain crunchy and covered  in the yummy cheesy sauce that kids find irresistible. Add in some interestingly shaped pastas and you have winner and it is very easy and quick to make as well :) So here goes the recipe...



You will need:
500 ml milk (I used whole milk)/cream
2-3 garlic cloves crushed
2 bay leaves
250 grams dried pasta of your choice ( I used fusilli)
300 grams of broccoli florets (medium size)
3 tbsp Olive oil/butter
4 tbsp plain flour
1/2 tsp nutmeg powder (optional)
2 tbsp of parsley coarsely chopped
1 tsp oregano
salt and black pepper to taste
1 tsp chilli flakes (optional for adults)
50 grams of cheddar cheese grated (or Parmesan or any of your favorite hard cheese mixture grated)



Cook the pasta to al-dente according to the packet instructions. Two mins before the pasta is fully cooked, add the broccoli. Drain and set aside. Heat a sauce pan on medium heat and add oil/butter. Add crushed garlic and saute for 30 secs. Add the flour and stir in for 1 min. Take care not to brown the garlic too much. Add the milk/crea a little at a time, stirring and whisking to make sure there are no lumps. Turn the heat down to low and add the bay leaf, nutmeg, parsley, oregano, salt and black pepper. Go easy on the salt since cheese already have salt. Continue to cook on low heat until it thickens to a sauce like consistency. Remove the bay leaves carefully with a spoon/fork. Turn off the stove and add the cheese and mix until all the cheese is melted. Add the sauce to the pasta-broccoli and stir in gently until evenly coated. Garnish with parsley & chilli flakes (for adults) and serve warm with salad and garlic bread.



Note: You can make this same dish into a pasta bake. Simply place the cheesy broccoli pasta in a greased baking dish and add another 50 grams of grated cheese on top. Turn on the grill setting of the oven and grill until the top turns golden.


Sending to Healthy Foods for Healthy Kids – Italian Dishes and Nithu’s page hosted by Sowmya.