Pasta Broccoli - Grandma's Version

2 broccoli crowns ,washed and chopped
5-6 cloves of garlic, peeled & minced
olive oil
1 pound of linguini
salt and pepper to taste
Locatelli cheese, grated (Pecorino Romano)
sauté pan
8qt pot
3qt pot
1. Coat the bottom of a large sauté pan with olive oil. Add minced garlic. Cook on low-medium heat while stirring for 1 minute. Turn off heat and set sauté pan aside.(do not brown the garlic)
2. Place chopped broccoli in a large 8 qt pot. Fill with water, and 2 TBL of salt. Place pot on stove and bring to a boil. When broccoli starts to turn bright green. Turn heat under sauté pan back on to medium heat.
3. With a slotted spoon, spoon out broccoli and add to sauté pan. (*Immediately put a 3-4 qt pot in the sink with a colander on top of it.) Stir to coat broccoli with olive oil and garlic. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook 3-5 minutes. Bring pot of water to a boil (same water used for broccoli) add 1-2 TBL of salt to water. **I like to sauté the broccoli until it just starts to get soft. This way the little bits stick to the pasta. If you like your broccoli more firm, cook 2-3 minutes.
4. Stir linguini into boiling salted water. Cook time is indicated on package directions.
5. Drain pasta and let some of the water fall into the small pot, set aside.
6. Stir broccoli and pasta together. Serve topped with locatelli and a drizzle of pasta water.
*Other Toppings...
Red pepper flakes
Lemon zest
Olive oil
Lemon olive oil
Grilled shrimp
Grilled chicken