When my sister Irene and
I were young we used to enjoy visiting our grandfather (the one with the
magic briefcase) at his home in Manhattan. The New York City Mounted
Police had their stable about a block away at the time and we always got a
carrot from our grandfather to feed to the horses. When we returned to the
apartment, we enjoyed a steaming bowl of broccoli and spaghetti, which was
one of his favorite dishes. He always had a large chunk of Parmesan cheese
that we loved to nibble on after grating some on our spaghetti. That was
the best part of the meal to us. I often make this simple, hearty dish for
my family and remember my grandfather with love in his kitchen stirring
the spaghetti in his giant pot.
Ingredients
-
1 head fresh broccoli
-
2 chicken bullion cubes
-
5 cloves garlic
-
1 can chick peas
-
¾ cup virgin olive oil
-
1/8 lb, butter
-
garlic powder
-
salt & pepper
-
Parmesan cheese
First cut the bottom off
your head of broccoli (about 11/2 inches). Place the broccoli in a large
pot with about half of the broccoli covered with salted water. Cover and
bring to a boil. Add 2 chicken bullion cubes and simmer until the broccoli
is tender, While the broccoli is cooking, thinly slice the garlic and fry
in olive oil until translucent then set aside. In another pan pour a
little olive oil, a couple of tablespoons of butter and a drained can of
chick peas. Sprinkle on salt, pepper and garlic powder. Cook on a high
light till crisp and brown (about 10 minutes) shaking the pan frequently.
Break your thin spaghetti into small pieces (2 inches long) and drop it
into a large pot of salted boiling water. When tender (al dente, not soft)
drain well. Place a portion of spaghetti in a large soup dish, adding a
piece of broccoli, some broccoli broth, a couple of spoonfuls of the crisp
chickpeas, a couple of spoonfuls of garlic and oil and grate a little
fresh Parmesan cheese on top. Serve with some hot garlic bread. A
delicious soul satisfying meal!