Lemon Rotini with Baby Arugula and Asiago

Want to try a different way to eat your pasta? This dish will do the trick. It has a very fresh taste brought there by the lemon zest and juice as well as the fresh vegetables of which broccoli is the only one you will want to cook.

My inspiration for this recipe comes from Food Network's Barefoot Contessa Show. This is Ina Garten's recipe with my modifications. I used rotini instead of fusilli. I used asiago instead of parmesean.

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Prep Time:

10 min

Cook Time:

30 min

Serves:

4 to 5 servings

ingredients

* 1 tablespoon good olive oil

* 1 tablespoon minced garlic (2 cloves)

* 2 cups heavy cream

* 3 lemons

* Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

* 1 bunch broccoli

* 1 pound dried rotini pasta

* 1/2 pound baby arugula

* 1/2 cup freshly grated Asiago

* 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, cut in half

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the garlic, and cook for 60 seconds. Add the cream, the zest from 2 lemons, the juice of 2 lemons, 2 teaspoons of salt, and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until it starts to thicken.

Meanwhile, cut the broccoli in florets and discard the stem. Cook the florets in a pot of boiling salted water for 3 to 5 minutes, until tender but still firm. Drain the broccoli and run under cold water to stop the cooking.

Set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add 1 tablespoon of salt and the pasta, and cook according to the directions on the package, about 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain the pasta in a colander and place it back into the pot. Immediately add the cream mixture and cook it over medium-low heat for 3 minutes, until most of the sauce has been absorbed in the pasta. Pour the hot pasta into a large bowl, add the arugula, Parmesan, tomatoes, and cooked broccoli. Cut the last lemon in half lengthwise, slice it 1/4-inch thick crosswise, and add it to the pasta. Toss well, season to taste, and serve hot.

Don't leave out the lemon you will regret it as it is what punches the greens up. Enjoy!