“Life is a combination of Pasta & Magic” – Federico Fellini

World Pasta Day is Ocotber 25th. The day when the world joins Italy in celebrating their culinary adulation for this

The Italians seem to have a true love affair with their pastas having created over 600 shapes and sauces to go with them. Each shape is made to pair with a specific type of sauce. Spaghetti is the most versatile and the most popular of all the pastas. No sauce is too difficult for spaghetti from tomato based sauces to cream sauces to seafoods and garlic and olive oil and the rustic Cacio and Pepe (Cheese and Pepper). You can be sure your spaghetti will hold up well

And if you think that you should eliminate pasta from your diet, think again. Besides Michael Phelps stellar performance at the Olympics with a diet consisting largely of pasta-here are some reasons to make pasta a regular part of your diet:

1. Pasta is easy to digest
2. Pasta is a great source of energy for mind as well as body
3. Pasta has a low glycemic index
4. A dish of pasta with legumes provides a complete protein
5. The glucose content in pasta speeds up the metabolism of serotonin in the brain, serotonin is the feel good hormone

What is more perfect to celebrate World Pasta Day is then a dish of pasta. Heris one of my favorite pasta dishes. It is simple to make but yet healthy and oh yes, delicious too!!

Spaghetti & Broccoli

Ingredients

• 1 lb of Spaghetti
• 1 lb of broccoli-fresh or frozen chopped
• 2 garlic cloves
• ½ lb fresh plum tomatoes or 1-8ounce can plum tomatoes
• 1 tsp. Parsley-fresh or dried
• Grated Parmigiano cheese
• 5 tblsps of extra virgin olive oil
• Salt, pepper to taste

Preparation

Cook Broccoli in large pasta pot in lightly salted water. When tender, remove from water and place in bowl. Set aside the pot with the cooking water to cook pasta. In a sauté pan place in the olive oil with finely chopped garlic and onion, and sauté for a couple of minutes. Then add in tomatoes cut into small pieces, and in chopped broccoli, add pinch of pepper and salt and let cook for 15 minutes.

Boil the water that you set aside in pasta pot, when boiling place in spaghetti, and let cook till al dente (follow cooking directions on pasta package) and drain, Place in pan with sauce and toss to lightly coat. Sprinkle in handful of grated parmesan cheese, toss lightly and serve.