Cheesy Whole-Wheat Baked Penne with Broccoli Pesto

• Produce

  • 1 1/2 cup Baby spinach, packed leaves
  • 3 1/2 cups Broccoli florets
  • 1 Garlic clove

• Canned Goods

  • 1/4 cup Chicken stock

• Pasta & Grains

  • 16 oz Pasta, whole wheat

• Baking & Spices

  • 1 tsp Salt

• Oils & Vinegars

  • 2 2/3 tbsp Olive oil

• Nuts & Seeds

  • 1/4 cup Hazelnuts

• Dairy

  • 6 oz Mozzarella cheese, fresh
  • 3/4 cup Parmesan or pecorino romano cheese

Found on cookingforkeeps.com

Description

Ingredients

• 3 ½ cups broccoli florets
• 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
• 1 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1 ½ cup packed baby spinach leaves
• 1 garlic clove
• ¼ cup hazelnuts, chopped
• ¾ cup shredded parmesan or pecorino romano cheese, divided
• ¼ cup chicken stock
• 6 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 16 ounces whole-wheat pasta

Directions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• On a baking sheet toss broccoli, 2 teaspoons of olive oil and ½ teaspoon of salt together. Roast broccoli for 10-15 minutes or until cooked.
• In the meantime cook pasta in a large pot of boiling, salted water until just shy of aldente. Reserve cooking liquid.
• Once the broccoli is done roasting, let cool for a few minutes.
• In the bottom of a food processor, add broccoli, spinach, remaining salt, garlic, hazelnuts and ½ cup of cheese. Pulse until it becomes a paste.
• With the mixer on, slowly add in chicken stock, followed by olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Add the pesto to the hot noodles. Toss until combined. Add enough pasta water to loosen the sauce up. Add in mozzarella cheese and ¼ cup parmesan. Season pasta with salt and pepper as necessary.
• Transfer to an oven-safe dish or pan and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
• Bake until hot and bubbly, about 30 minutes.