As I have mentioned on numerous occasions, my wife, Veronica, is an amazing cook. She never ceases to amaze me with the way she is able to make revisions to existing recipes that consistently are better than the original. She almost never measures anything so, as I write this column featuring her most recent brilliant creation, I have to tell you that the quantities are not exact, but rather approximations of what she created. The bottom line is that this is a dish that easily can be adjusted to suit your taste.
Also, unlike myself, she gets tired of eating the same thing, and I guess that is the reason God gave her the talent of being able to create new dishes from existing ones. I, on the other hand, can eat the same dish, prepared the same way, every day or certainly a few times a week or more. When I was in college, I was satisfied to eat peanut butter and jam daily for lunch weeks on end without ever getting tired of it. Even to this day, I could exist on that classic favorite. I can do the same for breakfast and dinner with eating the same dish indefinitely, such as poached eggs on toast for breakfast and a cheeseburger for supper daily, indefinitely. But Veronica keeps our meals revolving around favorites as well as experiments that always turn out well, and that keeps us happy since we are both foodies.
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This month’s column is her latest wonderful twist on a casserole that surprised us both to the extent that we were both eager to polish off the leftover dish the next day. Enjoy this latest Veronica creation.
Salute and buon appetito!
Broccoli, pasta and cheese casserole
- 1 pound broccoli florets, cooked until al dente
- 1 or 2 level tablespoons salt for cooking pasta and broccoli, depending on your taste
- 1 pound pasta of your choice; we like penne or rotini
- 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- Extra virgin olive oil cooking spray as needed to coat baking dish
- 2 or 3 quarts pasta cooking water, reserved
- 1/4 pound salted butter, melted
- 3 or 4 cloves fresh garlic, pressed
- 1/2 to 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 to 1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
- 1/2 pint or more heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 tablespoon freshly ground pepper, or to taste
- 2 or 3 quarts filtered water to cook the pasta in
Bob Leonardi and his wife, Veronica
Measure all ingredients. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Put filtered water in pot and bring to a boil. Add salt to the cooking water and cook pasta until al dente. While pasta is cooking, spray EVOO cooking spray into a medium-size glass casserole dish; coat the bottom and all four sides. Just before the pasta is done cooking, remove 2 cups or so of the cooking water and set aside. When pasta is almost done but still a little firm, remove the pasta with a slotted spoon, reserving the rest of the cooking water. Place the pasta into the casserole dish. Cook the broccoli in the pasta cooking water, only 2 or 3 minutes. Remove the cooked broccoli with a slotted spoon and lay it on top of the pasta in the casserole dish. Remove most of the remaining cooking water except for maybe half a cup or more, but set aside to add to sauce if and when needed. Then add melted butter and pressed garlic to the pan, which should be on low heat in the same pasta cooking pot. Now add panko and regular bread crumbs and stir; then add the heavy whipped cream and stir again. Add about a cup of shredded Monterey Jack cheese to the pot. Blend well. Next, add a little broccoli/pasta water so the mixture will evenly pour over the broccoli and pasta in the baking dish. Top with remaining Monterey Jack shredded cheese and bake about 30 minutes until it is golden brown. Enjoy!
Bob Leonardi was born and raised in Weedsport, but spent summers on Owasco Lake in Auburn. After graduating from St. Lawrence University, where he cooked for other students to earn extra money, he moved to Florida and started a fine wine and gourmet food store. In a matter of a few years he added a restaurant, upscale catering and event planning to his business, which he ran in Fort Lauderdale for 15 years. He bought and restored Green Shutters restaurant in 1999, running it for 12 years in the spring, summer and fall while being an event planner in the winter. During that time, he was also a food critic and wrote a column for a newspaper called the South Florida Social. He has written his column for The Citizen since 2005 and can be reached by contacting The Citizen or via email at raleonardi@roadrunner.com.
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February 14, 2022 at 09:00PM
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Leonardi: A casserole dish that can be tweaked to your taste - Auburn Citizen
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