A light Summer Dinner

As stated in a previous post, when lacking something do, I usually turn to the kitchen. So tonight, on my ever so exciting friday evening, I decided to take advantage of the fact that while staying with my parents, they are more then happy to provide any desired ingredients with which to cook. Since I usually end up making some sort of dessert, I was ready for a little change. I got the idea for this pasta while watching Everyday Italian (I love that show!). I didn't follow any recipe, but I knew I wanted a light, mild sauce for the pasta since it's been so incredibly hot here lately. The main base for the sauce was olive oil, so I have a feeling that this pasta could be served either hot or at room temperature, great for entertaining! 

Broccoli and Sun Dried Tomatoes with Bowtie Pasta

2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

3-4 tablespoons finely chopped sun dried tomatoes

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

2 large florets broccoli, trimmed into bite size pieces

2 cups bowtie pasta

1/4-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

salt and pepper to taste

Shredded parmesan cheese

Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the box and with about 2 minutes left, add the broccoli to the boiling pasta water and cook until pasta's done.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil and butter in a skillet.

Add the sun dried tomatoes and garlic and saute for about 5 minutes, add the red pepper flakes.

When the broccoli and pasta are finished, transfer to the skillet and saute just until everything is combined. Add some of the pasta water to loosen the sauce if need be.

Add salt and pepper to taste along with any amount of cheese (I like lots!)

This was a great experiment, and I'm lucky that my parents volunteered so readily to be my testers. I was afraid that the sauce would be too oily but it turned out just right. It was a nice, light sauce with just a little kick from those red pepper flakes. It was a very nice refreshing switch from my usual sweet tooth in the kitchen. This dish would go along well with some grilled chicken brushed with a little olive oil and lemon juice for those who desire a bit of protein with dinner.