Broccoli: or you love them or you hate them. There are those who just get nauseous by smelling a batch of steaming broccoli and then there are those that see broccoli as the ultimate gourmet food. I am happy to say I am a big broccoli fan. My Italian grandma much contributed to this passion. She used to present broccoli in several of her dishes and I am happy to say they were all very tasty indeed.

After passing on this passion, I came up with quite a collection of my own broccoli recipes. They are all great recipes that make me wonder how people can live without this handy vegetable. Nothing beats a hearty broccoli pasta soup in the winter. And in the early spring? How about crunchy fried broccoli? I can also serve broccoli in a sophisticated risotto dish. Yes, broccoli are very versatile indeed.

Ingredients:

2 cups Broccoli chopped
2 large potatoes
2-3 cups chicken stock
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
1 package small pasta
Salt
Pepper
Extra-virgin Olive oil

Directions:

Saute’ in large sauce pan with olive oil, chopped onion and crushed garlic cloves. Once blond, add potatoes and broccoli. Saute’ a few minutes, salt and pepper and add 2 cups warm chicken broth. Cook until potatoes and broccoli are tender. Add pasta. Add more broth if necessary. Cook pasta until tender. Serve in bowls with a dash of pepper and some extra virgin olive oil. Buon Appetito!

*You can make a great risotto by substituting the pasta with rice.