I love fresh herbs! One that I use a lot of is basil. I also love any kind of citrus. I think lemon goes great with basil. I like this pasta because it is a little different than what I normally make. It's also really pretty. I sometimes make this to go along with BBQ chicken. I think I'm trying to make summer come a little sooner with this one!
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups heavy cream
3 lemons
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 cups fresh broccoli, cut into florets
1 pound pasta, something that will hold sauce (I used cellentani)
small bunch of fresh basil, cut in a chiffonade
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Saute the garlic in the olive oil for 1 minute. Add the cream, the zest from 2 lemons, the juice of 1 and a half lemons, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until sauce starts to thicken.
While sauce is cooking, cook the broccoli florets in a pot of boiling salted water for 4 to 5 minutes, until tender but still firm. Drain the broccoli into an ice bath to stop the cooking. This will keep the broccoli very green. Set aside.
Cook the pasta, according to package directions. Drain the pasta and place it back into the pot. Immediately add the cream mixture and cook it over medium~low heat for about 3 minutes, until most of the sauce has been absorbed into the pasta. Add the broccoli and combine. Pour the hot pasta into a large bowl, add most of the Parmesan cheese, and most of the basil, cut the remaining lemon into slices and add them to the bowl. Toss well, season to taste, and garnish with remaining Parmesan cheese and basil.
