Dishin’ With Denise… Italian Broccoli and Pasta To The Rescue

My Mother would serve this simple soup to us kids during the winter at least once a week~ and boy did we all cringe at its sight on that night.  She turned us into broccoli enemies. Today we are all healthy and reborn broccoli fans. My mother, like her mother called this soup by its Sicilian dialect~ I’ll do my best to spell it as I recall it sounded “ Pasta gi spadasheda” Today that dialect is long extinct, you will not find it anywhere in Italy called by this name. It’s plainly referred to as broccoli and pasta soup. This was an easy meal to prepare, inexpensive and hot on a cold winter night. Truthfully my mother’s real intention was to load us up on the vitamins and nutrients provided by broccoli and to ward off those winter germs and nasty colds. The health benefits of this super green, stalky and bushy top vegetable are tremendous and always easily available. I can’t mention all that broccoli is noted for in the world  health and medicine… but let me say it provides a very high amount of vitamin c, loaded with potassium, is fiber rich, and loaded with antioxidants that destroys germs and free radicals     (responsible for weakening the defense of cells) Have I said enough yet?… NO! It’s also absolutely delicious too! My mother was a smart lady and taught me to feed my family the same way. Today this is a personal favorite of mine.

2 large heads or bunches of dark green broccoli 
   (wash in colander and drain, cut off very bottom of stem and discard. Chop remaining stem and green florets into bite size pieces)
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
4-5 cloves of diced fresh garlic
Fresh black pepper
Sea salt
Red pepper flakes (approx. ½ t or more)
2 Large cans of College Inn 
  (low fat/sodium) chicken broth
  ½ to 3/4 lb. pasta, your pick
   (I like small pasta shells, ditilini, or straight broken up. Amount of pasta depends on desired soupiness)

Sautee garlic and spices in olive oil for a minute then add cut up broccoli and sauté for another minute or 2. Add broth and bring to a slow boil until broccoli is semi tender and all of its rich vitamins release into the broth. Add pasta and cook for 6 to 8 more minutes, until al dente.  Top with fresh grated cheese if desired, serve with a loaf of crusty bread, and of course that glass of Vino!  Pure joy, comfort, and good health! 
xo Denise