Pasta from Sicily

It is amazing to heed, how Italian food has slowly crept into a typical Indian’s gastronomic life. Nowadays, you may easily find a good Italian Restaurant in your neighbourhood market. Or, you won’t be surprised on discovering two pages of the menu of a multi-cuisine restaurant filled with Fusilli, Cavatelli, Fiorentine, Lasagne, Fettuccine, and Spaghetti.

        However, not many will observe that Italian food, which looks extravagant, may be really easy to cook. Therefore, having "Italian on the table" may prove to be a really good trick up your sleeve. I will be sharing with you a simple Italian recipe – Sicilian Pasta. This is the first Pasta recipe that I learned, and you may say mastered. The USP of the recipe are easy to cook, and really low on calories (for the conscientious).

Sicilian Pasta (Veg/ Non-Veg)

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

 Key Ingredients:

• Pasta - Any type of pasta, but I prefer it with Fusilli (Unfortunately, Fusilli was out of stock, so you may see Penne in the pic)
• Olive Oil (Mind you, Olive Oil is essential for any Italian cooking)
• Chopped Garlic - 4 to 5
• Chilli Flakes - 1 Table Spoon
• 1 Small Broccoli – Finely Chopped
• Optionally, 1 cup of boiled chicken or red meat (preferrable) 
• Desi Paneer
• Salt, and Pepper and Oregano for seasoning

Follow This:

• Boil the Pasta. Make sure you rinse the Pasta properly. Note: The quality of Pasta is critical, avoid the “Bambino” pasta and locate a better quality pasta in a nearby super market store. I prefer Savorit Pastas (Rs. 70 per packet), available at Reliance Fresh Stores.
• Pour about 3 table spoon olive oil in a pan, add the chopped garlic, and chilli flakes
• Sauté till garlic changes its colour to light golden brown
• Add the Broccoli, simmer the flame and sauté the Broccoli
• Add the Pasta and Toss the Pasta for about 5 minutes
• There goes my grated paneer
• Toss the Pasta frequently, add salt to taste and add seasoning (if required) in the end

Hopefully cooking Karim's inspired "Badam Pasanda" this X'Mas at Sanyal's place. So watch out the post for the recipe.