Pasta with Feta, Broccoli and Pecans - Nigella

I found another recipe in Nigella Kitchen that I wanted to make and that became our dinner.  Unfortunately, I was missing several necessary ingredients and did a lot of subbing.  This is a recipe, I would not have made changes to.  It sounded just right the way it was but necessity is the mother of all inventionn, as we discussed previously.  Necessity and I invented an “Almost Nigella” recipe and it was delicious.

(Curly Pasta with Feta, Spinach, and Pine Nuts (adapted)

Shells with Feta, Broccoli and Pecans

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup pecans, rough chopped
• 2 tablespoons  olive oil
• 1/2 onion, sliced
• 1/2 pound short pasta like shells  (mine are brown rice shells – gluten free)
  
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 pound frozen chopped broccoli
• 3 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
• 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Start the water boiling for your pasta.  Once it’s come to a boil add the pasta and cook until tender.
2. Toast the pecans in a dry pan over medium-low heat until they are golden brown. Set aside.
3. Heat the olive oil in large sauce pan and add the onion. Cook until the onion is tender, adding a little salt if they start browning.
4. Add the broccoli  and continuously stir until the frozen broccoli heats up. Add the allspice.
5. Once the pasta is finished cooking, save a small amount of pasta water before draining and add to the broccoli mixture.
6. Add the feta to the spinach mixture and stir it around until the feta has melted. Then add the Parmesan cheese and continue to stir.
7. Add the drained pasta to the sauce and toss everything well to combine.
8. Serve warm and top with the toasted pecans.

Linked to This week’s Cravings

See Ya in the Gumbo

Cookbook Sundays

Vegetarian Side Dishes and at Priya’s Easy N Tasty Recipes

Gluten-Free Weekly Menu Plan      Tasty Tuesday