pasta and roasted broccoli with almonds, parmesan, and chives

This recipe came from one of those nights I was feeling uninspired by what I had planned, so I decided to wing it. I had to use up broccoli, wanted to use the shallots and chives, needed the pasta for bulk, added the almonds for crunch, and the parmesan was for pure tastiness.

The star here is the roasted broccoli with shallots. I am a firm believer that if you don't like a vegetable, you simply have not prepared it correctly. This is my favorite way to prepare broccoli, so if you think you don't like broccoli, you may find yourself a convert after this meal.

Pasta and roasted broccoli with almonds, parmesan, and chives
only makes about 5 servings if you are in my family of big eaters and broccoli lovers

a couple heads of broccoli (about 7 cups when all chopped up)
1 bulb of shallots, peeled and sliced length wise
olive oil
salt
pepper
7 handfuls dried pasta (most ridiculous measurement award)
1 bunch of chives, chopped
grated parmesan for serving
slivered almonds for serving
balsamic vinegar for serving

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Chop up broccoli heads and dump them onto a baking sheet. Add shallots and drizzle with 3 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper. Mix with your hands, evenly coating broccoli with olive oil. Spread out in single layer on the baking sheet and roast 15-20 minutes, or until soft when stems are poked with a fork, but not mushy.

While the broccoli is roasting, cook the pasta according to directions, adding a touch of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt into the water. Reserve a bit of water before draining.

Toss the roasted broccoli together with the pasta, adding reserved liquid if necessary. Drizzle with more olive oil and mix in chives. Add salt and pepper to taste

Scoop into bowls and top with a good amount of parmesan and a sprinkling of slivered almonds. Serve with balsamic on the side for those who wish to add some. (We all wished in our family.)

Enjoy!
Ashley