Pasta with broccoli cream and Philadelphia, a light and complete first course, an excellent single-dish option also suitable for those looking to lose weight; easy and quick to prepare, you dirty only one pot and the immersion blender. Preparation is very simple: cook the Calabrian broccoli al dente in boiling, unsalted water and blend it with a little cooking water; in the same water you cook the pasta. To the broccoli cream just add the spreadable cheese and in a few minutes you’ll have a sauce for any pasta shape, long or short, that becomes very creamy with a delicate taste. I enriched mine with coarsely chopped walnut halves for some crunch; optionally you can add crispy speck, sautéed guanciale, or browned crumbled sausage, but I loved my lighter vegetarian version, so I recommend preparing it without oil and with very little salt — a nourishing, filling, yet light and tasty dish. Oh — you can also make Philadelphia at home; here is my very quick homemade Philadelphia recipe.
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter and Spring
Ingredients for pasta with broccoli cream and Philadelphia
- 11 oz short or long pasta
- 1.1 lbs Calabrian broccoli
- 7 oz spreadable fresh cheese (Philadelphia or similar)
- 8 walnut halves
- to taste salt
Tools to prepare pasta with broccoli cream and Philadelphia
- 1 Pot
- 1 Immersion blender
Preparation steps for pasta with broccoli cream and Philadelphia
Start by putting the water on the heat in a large pot for the pasta. Use enough water to also cook the broccoli. Meanwhile, clean the broccoli: cut into florets and peel the stems. Use the tender parts of the stems (peeled), then wash everything thoroughly.
Put the broccoli to cook in boiling water. Cook them al dente — this also makes them more digestible. Place them in the jug of the immersion blender and add a ladle of the cooking water. If you need more, add it little by little while blending until you achieve a smooth cream.
To the broccoli cream add the spreadable cheese by spoonfuls and mix so that it melts into the warm cream. Finally add a little salt to adjust the flavor. No oil is needed.
Cook the pasta al dente in the same cooking water — I chose penne rigate. Salt the water and bring the pasta to the desired doneness.
Drain the pasta, return it to the pot, add the broccoli-and-cheese cream and toss well to emulsify. You can use some of the reserved cooking water if needed, so set a little aside before draining.
Serve the pasta with broccoli cream and Philadelphia topped with coarsely chopped walnut halves (you can do this by hand, without a knife). As I mentioned earlier, you can enrich it to your taste, but I find it delicious and very delicate as is.
