Pasta with Garlicky Broccoli & Cherry Tomatoes

Six cloves of garlic cooked slow in olive oil until they turn pale gold, a pinch of cayenne for bite, and broccoli florets that steam right in the covered skillet until tender-crisp. Then cherry tomatoes go in and collapse just enough to slick the pan with their juice. That’s the whole story.

The trick here is the reserved pasta water. Before draining, scoop out three-quarters of a cup of starchy cooking liquid and pour it back in as you toss. It’s what pulls the vegetables and oil together into a sauce instead of leaving everything dry and scattered.

Whole wheat linguine or fettuccine holds up better to chunky vegetables than thin pasta, and a handful of grated asiago melts into the heat at the end.

Kitchen Tips

• Watch the garlic closely, anything past pale gold turns bitter fast
• Cut broccoli florets on the smaller side so they cook through in the 5 minutes of covered steaming
• Salt the pasta water heavily, it seasons the whole dish from the inside
• Add reserved pasta water gradually, pouring in more only if the noodles look dry

Variations

• Swap broccoli for broccolini or rapini for a sharper, more bitter bite
• Add a tin of anchovies to the oil with the garlic for a salty backbone
• Finish with toasted pine nuts or golden breadcrumbs for crunch