Pasta and White Beans with Broccoli Pesto

One of my favorite things during the summer at home is the garden my dad prepares every year. For as long as I can remember we would go out and plant onions, cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers and herbs so all summer long we had fresh vegetables and herbs. There's nothing better than that. We had lots and lots of basil and my mom would make pesto, sans pine nuts for this one. I realllllly like basil. And I realllllly like pesto.

I think it's so neat you can make pesto out of other things than just basil, like broccoli! My dad sent me a picture of a recipe he found in Everyday Food that he thought I would like. And I did indeed like it!


Pasta and White Beans with Broccoli Pesto
source: Everyday Food

Ingredients:
Coarse salt and ground black pepper
1 bunch broccoli, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 4 cups)
10 ounces short pasta
5 teaspoons olive oil
1/4 cup grated parmesan, plus more for serving
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest, plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup packed fresh parsley leaves
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained


Directions:
1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook broccoli until tender and bright green, about 4 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer broccoli to a food processor. Return water to a boil and cook pasta according to package instructions. Reserve 2 cups pasta water; drain pasta and return to pot.
2. To food processor, add oil, parmesan, lemon zest and juice, parsley, and garlic. Puree until smooth, about 2 minutes, scraping down side as needed.
3.Transfer pesto to pot with pasta. Stir to coat, adding enough reserved pasta water to make a creamy sauce. Stir in beans and heat over medium heat until warmed through. Season with salt and pepper and top with parmesan cheese.