With apologies to Beyonce: “If you like it then you should have put an egg on it….”
There are a few crutches we food writers and cooks try not to reach for too often. The two that instantly pop to mind are bacon, and a fried egg. Let’s discuss.
Bacon. Ok, I guess we’ve discussed that enough. Whether it’s regular old bacon cooked into a dish or crumbled on top, lardons, pancetta, crisped prosciutto, what have you, unless you are a vegetarian there are few dishes that don’t just get that much better with the addition of bacon. And frankly I think we all know a few vegetarians who are prepared to squint slightly when there is bacon involved in a dish.
A Fried Egg on Top
Now, the fried egg. Or poached egg, sometimes. Yes, it’s a bit of a crutch it to toss it on top of a dish. Such a lovely crispy, runny, savory, emulsifying crutch. A nice grain bowl, yum. A grain bowl with an egg—wow. Ramen, yum. Ramen with an egg—oh, oh, oh. A bistro salad, yum. A bistro salad with an egg on top, popped and running into the tart vinaigrette and tempering the bitter lettuces. Well, I think we are all on the same page now.
This pasta comes together quickly and easily, and it’s delicious as it, and it’s sublime with a fried egg on top.
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Weeknight Pasta
This easy ziti pasta recipe is delicious even without the egg, and comes together in about 20 minutes, a wonderful weeknight pasta. But if you want a bit of more protein, and you want to see how a runny yolk mingles with the feta and light brothy sauce and adds a whole other dimension of savory richness, well—then grab that crutch and enjoy.
What to Serve This With
This One Pot Pasta with Feta and Broccolini is really nice paired with a slightly bitter salad, such as Frisee, Radicchio and Escarole Salad with Citrus Dressing, or a Bistro Salad (in which case you have to pick which one you want to put the egg on!)
More One Pot Recipes:
- Cheesy Jambalaya and Cajun Sausage Bake
- Classic Cheesy Beefy Lasagna
- Easy Creamy Fettuccine Alfredo
- Pork Chops with Italian Salsa Verde
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One Pot Pasta with Feta and Broccolini
Ingredients
- Kosher salt to taste
- 8 ounces dried ziti
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves very thinly sliced
- 1 pound broccolini trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes plus more for serving
- 1 cup vegetable or chicken broth
- 1 cup crumbled feta
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- Hot fried or poached eggs for each serving optional
Directions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the ziti according to package directions, and scoop out 1/2 cup of the cooking water just before draining.
- Heat the olive oil in the same pot over medium heat and sauté the garlic for 1 minute until it turns golden. Add the broccolini, season with salt and the red pepper flakes (easy on the salt; the feta is salty), and sauté for 4 minutes until just crisp tender. Pour in the broth and the reserved ½ cup cooking water and bring to a simmer. Simmer for about 2 minutes, until the broccolini is just as tender as you like, then stir in the drained pasta, feta and lemon zest. Toss until combined and serve hot, with additional red pepper flakes as desired.
- Top each serving with a fried egg if desired.
Nutrition Information
The nutrition values are provided as an estimate. It is not intended as a substitute for the advice of a qualified healthcare professional.
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