cacio e pepe, the traditional italian pasta dish literally meaning "cheese and pepper" is making a big comeback lately. so, i decided, why let pasta noodles have all the fun? in the absence of pretty much anything useful in my fridge one night, (aka, the 'i was too tired to go to the grocery store after work' kind of night), i got out the grill pan, a package of broccolini i had been meaning to use, and went to town. the result was pleasantly amazing, and a new 5-minute side dish i will make often... and on purpose next time ;)
here's what you need:
- 1 package of broccolini
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1/4 cup freshly shaved pecorino or parmesan cheese (or both!)
- 1 tsp. freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 tsp. chili flakes (if you want a little twist on the tradition)
here's how to do it:
heat the oil in a grill pan over medium heat (if you don't have a grill pan, a saute pan will do just fine). layer the broccolini in a single layer and drizzle with a touch more olive oil. cover with a large pot lid, leaving a little crack so the steam can escape and saute, flipping every so often, until the ends start to char and the broccolini turns a bright green color, (this is when you know it is cooked through), or around 5 minutes. toss in lemon juice, salt, pepper and chili flakes, and then top with cheese till your heart's desire. enjoy!
