Fiorelli Pasta Cooked with Broccoli and Curly Kale leaves- Vegetarian pasta recipe

I can go on describing the beauty of pasta shapes in detail and in poetic verses if I have that capability to do so, but then I have limited skills for that matter. But give me these pretty shaped fiorelli pasta , and I will try to  cook with green vegetables that go on, unnoticed or most of the times people don’t bother to include them in their meal plans. I don’t know what was going through in my mind when I was pairing up broccoli and curly kale leaves together for this pasta preparation, but then I am glad it was well received by my folks.

Anyhow, I think these two vegetables- broccoli and curly kale leaves, are mostly under-rated vegetables, but I would suggest using them more often as they bring balanced nutrition in our eating pattern.

This fiorelli pasta recipe is, a truly vegetarian delight, a keeper recipe, but if you really want to jazz it up, then add in fried shrimps or chicken pieces. You may even add in Turkey mince as well, but then this would be a true Ragu bologna sauce as it will be having mince meat cooked together with vegetables. For the time being it’s a simple pasta sauce that was cooked for these fiorelli pasta.
Now to the recipe

Fiorelli pasta cooked with broccoli and curly kale leaves
Recipe requirements
300 Gms of fiorelli pasta or use half pasta packet
1 broccoli cut into small florets
200gms of curly kale leaves chopped roughly
For the sauce
1 tsp of red pepper powder
1 tsp of oregano or 1 tsp of mixed herbs
1 large tomato
3-4 tbs of pasta sauce
1 medium size onion
2-3 fat garlic
1 tsp of salt or as per taste
3-4 tbs of olive oil
Cheddar cheese and red pepper flakes for garnishing
Method
Put a large saucepan with ample water on medium-high flame.Add in a half tsp of salt and 1 tsp of oil into it. Add in fiorelli pasta and let it cook. Add curly kale leaves half way thro, let it cook. Drain water after the pasta is cooked well. You may add in kale leaves and broccoli later, while making the pasta sauce.Kale leaves takes some time to cook well so it’s good to do a quick blanching like this way.
Now to the making of pasta sauce
In a heated pan, add in olive oil, now add in finely chopped garlic, and stir/fry it for 2 mints.Now add in finely chopped onion and stir/fry it for 3-4 mints or till they turn translucent.
Now add in finely chopped tomatoes. Add in broccoli florets and stir/fry it for 4-5 mints at medium-high flame.
Add in red pepper powder, dried oregano or dried mixed herbs what ever you are using it and salt. Add in pasta sauce to this and coat the spices well over broccoli florets. Add in a cup of water or you may use the starch water that you have drained earlier while cooking fiorelli pasta.
Adjust seasonings if required, and add in cooked fiorelli pasta with blanched curly kale leaves to this simmering sauce and let it mingle well for about 3-4 mints. Add in a dollop of butter at the end and some cream to enhance the sauce but it's not necessary if you wish to make it low-calorie recipe.
Serve with shredded cheddar cheese or grated parmigiano-reggiano –cheese. I even like to have some red pepper flakes over it.

Note
If you want more sauce then please increase the quantities of sauce ingredients, this sauce is just enough to coat cooked pasta so it won’t be having any extra sauce in your serving plate.
If you wish you may add in red wine like Merlot etc to enhance the flavour.

Please feel free to include cooked shrimps or chicken to this pasta recipe, if you wish so.

Happy Cooking