Broccoli & Bow Ties Pasta Salad

This is a pasta salad that I need to make more often. The dressing is really flavorful, so even if you don't like the broccoli, you could substitute artichokes and add sun dried tomatoes. You could also substitute whole wheat pasta. This is the kind of salad I make early in the week and eat all week, but you could also serve it with chicken for dinner.


Broccoli & Bow Ties

Ingredients


* Kosher salt
* 8 cups broccoli florets (4 heads)
* 1/2 pound farfalle (bow tie) pasta
* 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
* 2 tablespoons good olive oil
* 1 teaspoon minced garlic
* 1 lemon, zested
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
* 1/4 cup toasted pignoli (pine) nuts
* Freshly grated Parmesan, optional

Directions

Cook the broccoli for 3 minutes in a large pot of boiling salted water. Remove the broccoli from the water with a slotted spoon or sieve. Place in a large bowl and set aside.

In the same water, cook the bow-tie pasta according to the package directions, about 12 minutes. Drain well and add to the broccoli.

Meanwhile, in a small saute pan, heat the butter and oil and cook the garlic and lemon zest over medium-low heat for 1 minute. Off the heat, add 2 teaspoons salt, the pepper, and lemon juice and pour this over the broccoli and pasta. Toss well. Season to taste, sprinkle with the pignolis and cheese, if using, and serve.

To toast pignolis, place them in a dry saute pan over medium-low heat and cook, tossing often, for a couple minutes, until light brown. Be sure to watch them so they don't burn.