I love broccolini and broccoli rabe, with pasta and sausage, on pizza, roasted as a side dish–pretty much anyway I’ve had it! This Pasta with Broccolini, Pancetta and Lemon Cream Sauce might be my new favorite.
I used to think broccolini and broccoli rabe were closely related but this explains that broccolini is a cross between broccoli and Chinese broccoli while broccoli rabe aka broccoli raab is closer to rapini, which I’ve grown and also like. Broccolini is more mild; broccoli rabe more bitter.
I was set to make a fairly standard pasta dish with some broccolini and pancetta instead of my usual Italian sausage for dinner the other night. Then I spied the lemons sitting on my counter, fresh from my lemon tree. I remembered a pasta dish with lemon and cream and thought I’d combine them.
![pasta with broccolini, pancetta and lemon cream sauce](https://cheapcooking.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/pasta-broccolini-lemon-cream-2-1024x1024.jpg)
The original pasta with lemon and cream recipe, from Lidia Bastianich’s Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy is really good. It calls for heavy cream but I used half and half the other night because that’s all I had.
Blending these two recipes made a really good dish, a little rich with the cream, a little salty with the pancetta and the good earthiness of the broccolini. And of course, some grated Parmesan on top. Leftovers were equally good!
![asta with Broccolini, Pancetta and Lemon Cream Sauce](https://cheapcooking.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/IMG_1383-768x1024.jpg)
Pasta with Broccolini, Pancetta and Lemon Cream Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 bunches broccolini 1 1/2 pounds
- 1/2 pound large pasta like orechiette or shells
- olive oil
- 1/2 pound pancetta, cut in 1/4" dice
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 2 lemons, zest and juice (about 1/3 cup total juice)
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 tsp salt, plus more
- 1 cup heavy cream or half and half
- 1 cup grated Parmesan or pecorino, plus more for the table
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.
- Trim the broccolini and cut into 2" pieces, including stems. Cook at a boil for 2-3 minutes, until just tender, Lift out the broccolini with a strainer or slotted spoon and drain, leaving the water boiling. Stir in the pasta and cook until done according to package directions. Reserve a cup or so of pasta water and drain the pasta.
- While the pasta is cooking, heat a few glugs of olive oil in a skillet and cook the diced pancetta until browned, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another minute, then stir in the red pepper flakes and lemon zest. Let sizzle a minute.
- Stir in the wine and lemon juice. Simmer a few minutes. Slowly whisk in the cream and cook until it reduces to a thickness you like. If it gets to thick, you can stir in some of the reserved pasta water.
- Add the drained broccolini and pasta to the pancetta and sauce, along with a teaspoon so of salt and some pepper to taste. Stir in the cup of grated Parmesan and drizzle olive oil over the pasta.
- Serve with more grated cheese at the table.
The zucchini shown on the side are baked, then topped with a garlicky bread crumb mixture and baked again. The recipe is here.
I’m so glad you liked it!
This is excellent – I didn’t have pancetta on hand so I substituted diced Speck – delicious!