Broccoli sauce with pasta

INSTRUCTIONS

• 1
  1. In a large pot, bring 1.5 l of water to a boil for cooking pasta. Meanwhile, cut the broccoli florets into very small pieces (ideally, use only the dark green tops of the florets; you can add the remaining stems to soup, for example). Place the chopped broccoli in a large fine sieve. Once the water in the pot boils, salt it, add the pasta, and cook for 6–8 minutes over medium heat. In the meantime, peel the onion and garlic, finely chop the peeled onion, and press the garlic cloves.
• 2
  A moment before the pasta is fully cooked, remove 400 ml of water from the pot and set it aside. Then, let the pasta finish cooking and drain the water through the sieve with the chopped broccoli – this will blanch the broccoli and drain the pasta at the same time.
• 3
  In a large pan, heat 1 tablespoon of rapeseed oil, add the chopped onion, and sauté for 3–4 minutes over low heat.
• 4
  Add butter and pressed garlic to the pan and sauté everything for another 30-60 seconds over low heat.
• 5
  Sprinkle the mixture in the pan with plain flour and sauté everything for another 2-3 minutes over low heat.
• 6
  Now pour 100 ml of the pasta cooking water into the pan and stir to ensure no flour lumps remain in the mixture. Then, over 4–6 minutes, gradually pour the remaining 300 ml of pasta cooking water into the pan in 3 batches: Always pour 100 ml of water into the pan, stir thoroughly, and wait approximately 80–120 seconds before adding the next batch of water. Maintain low heat throughout. Before proceeding, ensure the resulting mixture has a thick consistency and does not taste of flour.
• 7
  Add the cooked pasta, blanched broccoli, grated Parmesan, and grated Gouda to the pan, slightly increase the heat, and sauté the entire mixture for 2–3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the Parmesan and Gouda melt.
• 8
  Season the mixture in the pan with salt and pepper, divide into 2 portions, and serve immediately. You can sprinkle individual portions with extra Parmesan at the end.