PASTA con BROCCOLI, NOCI e UVA PASSA – PASTA with BROCCOLI FLORETS , WALNUTS and RAISINS

Being Italian you would guess that I eat pasta everyday. I used to, especially when I was living in Italy, but now that I have also embraced other ways of cooking I eat pasta dishes less often. Since we also eat less meat, I’m always trying to add protein to our dishes from other sources such as nuts. I remember the day I came up with this recipe, it wasn’t that long ago: the evening I made this for the first time I was happily surprised looking at my son finally eating broccoli and enjoying it!

Ingredients

• 1 lb pasta (I use short whole wheat pasta)
• 1 large broccoli head
• 2 garlic cloves thinly chopped
• ½ cup  raisins ( I like to use dried Zante currants)
• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
• olive oil
• fresh  chopped parsley for garnish
• pinch of red pepper flakes
• salt and pepper

Wash and chop  the broccoli into florets.  In a large pot with water, where you are also going to cook pasta, place a steamer on top with the broccoli florets. Bring to boil and after the florets are steamed put to the side. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. In the meantime in a large skillet with olive oil add the garlic, florets, raisins, walnuts , red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.  Cook for about 10 minutes and remove from the heat. Drain pasta when it is cooked, and in a large bowl mix the pasta  with the broccoli dressing and sprinkle with  fresh chopped parsley.