Roasted Broccoli and Sundried Tomato Penne

By on 31 October 2011 in Main Courses with 13 Comments.

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Most weeknights don’t leave us with the time or energy for something like sweet potato gnocchi. If I’m going to be perfectly honest, we generally “scrounge”, our term for combining whatever random items happen to be in the fridge and pantry on that day. And while this meal wasn’t borne of a scrounge, it certainly could have been! 

Assuming you have some fresh broccoli handy (and a jar of sundried tomatoes and a nub of parmesan in your fridge), this is a delicious way to use it that takes a pretty low amount of effort. We got our broccoli from our local market, which was some of the freshest broccoli I’ve ever tasted!  Roasted with a bit of garlic and tossed with some sundried tomatoes and parmesan, it made for a satisfying and easy dinner.

And as is my custom, I couldn’t help throwing in some chickpeas for some extra protein. (We’re hoping our friends at Fields of Agape will be able to harvest some chickpeas soon!)

I’m looking forward to another excuse to make this sometime soon – and while it’s perfect for an easy weeknight, it’s also special enough to serve for guests! (Any takers?)

Roasted Broccoli and Sundried Tomato Penne
Serves about 4 to 6

4 heads broccoli
6 cloves garlic 
12 ounces to 1 pound whole wheat penne
~16 sundried tomatoes packed in oil
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, plus more to serve
1 can chickpeas (or 1 1/2 to 2 cups cooked) 
~3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper

1  Preheat the oven to 425°F.

2  Wash the broccoli and chop it into bite size florets. Thinly slice the garlic. Place broccoli and garlic on a baking sheet (lined with parchment paper, if you have it!) and toss with enough olive oil to coat (about 2 tablespoons), about 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and fresh ground pepper. Place the tray in the oven and roast for about 25 minutes, until tender.

3  While the broccoli roasts, start a pot of water boil. Boil the penne for according to the package instructions (about 11 minutes or so).

4  Meanwhile, chop about 16 sundried tomatoes, grate 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, and drain and rinse the chickpeas.

5  When the pasta is done, drain it. Then mix it with the broccoli, chickpeas, tomatoes, and parmesan cheese. Drizzle on 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil to coat the pasta, and add kosher salt to taste (around 1 teaspoon). Serve immediately with freshly ground pepper and more parmesan.

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