Pasta with Broccoli, Tomato, Spinach, Goat Cheese, Garlic and Cream

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So, I haven’t been feeling great lately and I really wanted some comfort food.  I hadn’t done much cooking this weekend and when I went into the kitchen I realized that I had all kinds of ingredients that needed to be used. I pulled it all out of the fridge and created this:

• 2 lbs. whole wheat rotelle (or whatever pasta you prefer)
• 2 heads of broccoli (florets only)
• olive oil
• a pinch each of red pepper flake, dried parsley and dried basil
• 6 cloves of garlic finely minced
• about 16 oz. goat cheese
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 4 small tomatoes chopped
• 2 cups of vegetable broth
• zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 1 bunch baby spinach

Put a pot of salted water up to boil.  Cook the pasta according to package directions – about 2 minutes before it’s done, add the broccoli florets.  When the pasta is done, drain the broccoli and pasta and set aside (I needed two colindars)

Put the pot back on the heat (med/high) and add the oil and the dried herbs.  Stir and then add the garlic.  Saute for a couple of minute until you can really smell it.

Lower the heat and add the goat cheese

and stir till it’s melted completely into the oil, then add the cream, vegetable stock, lemon zest and juice.  Bring it to a boil and let it reduce just a little.  Add the pasta and broccoli back in in batches, tossing to coat with the sauce.  When it’s all combined add the spinach and cover.  Let it sit over very low heat till it wilts, or toss it in to wilt it (I was running out of room in the pot!)

Plate and add salt and pepper to taste.  Maybe even a little locatelli or parmesan cheese.

The cheese and the cream and the lemon with the broccoli, spinach and pasta is so good. It was exactly the comfort food I was looking for.

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