Baked Penne Pasta with Broccoli
A baked pasta recipe with fresh broccoli and three cheeses.
Penne pasta is mixed with three Italian cheeses and broccoli, then baked until golden and delicious.
If former U.S. President George Bush (not George W. -- George H.W. Bush, the elder) had tasted this broccoli recipe, he wouldn't have been so quick to dismiss broccoli from his diet. When combined with good-quality penne pasta, freshly-grated mozzarella, Parmesan and ricotta cheeses, broccoli becomes downright divine. If only the former president could try this baked pasta dish, he'd surely change his mind about the little green trees.
Be sure to use the best-quality pasta you can find for this recipe. Trader Joe's sells imported Italian penne really cheap. You can also find good pasta at Whole Foods Market, your local Italian market, certain high-end grocery stores, or online at Amazon.
Serve this penne pasta dish with homemade Italian bread, roasted green beans with sea salt or greek salad, and peanut butter kiss cookies for dessert.
Baked Penne Pasta with Broccoli and Three Cheeses
- 1 lb. good quality penne pasta, uncooked
- 1 tsp. olive oil
- 1 lb. fresh broccoli crowns, cleaned and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup freshly grated mozzarella cheese (or smoked mozzarella)
- 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
- 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 egg whites
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a 10-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray. Cook the penne according to package directions, subtracting 1 minute from the package's suggested cooking time. (You want the pasta al dente, not mushy.) Drain the pasta and transfer to a large mixing bowl. toss with olive oil.
Place broccoli in a microwave-safe dish and heat 1 minute on high. Stir and cook another 30 seconds or until broccoli is crisp-tender. Be careful not to overcook. Toss with penne. Add 1/4 cup of the Parmesan, mozzarella, ricotta, eggs and egg whites to the penne. Mix until well combined. Transfer to the prepared springform pan. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan. Bake in preheated oven until the top is golden brown, approximately 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand at least 15 minutes. Unmold and serve immediately.
Serves 8.
Per serving: 400 calories, 13 g fat (7 g saturated fat), 138 mg cholesterol, 46 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 25 g protein, 26% Vitamin A, 41% Vitamin C, 44% calcium, 19% iron
For more great pasta and broccoli recipes, see also:
- Italian Baked Pasta Recipe
- Broccoli Salad
- Steamed Broccoli and Cauliflower
- Broccoli with Garlic and Pine Nuts
- Healthy Macaroni and Cheese
- Baked Macaroni and Cheese Souffle
- Lasagna
- Spinach Manicotti
