You don’t often see recipes for seafood pastas that incorporate vegetables other than the occasional chopped tomato, but broccoli adds a lot of body, color, and substance to this pasta dish. I love broccoli, but if you don’t, feel free to substitute your favorite green vegetable. It’s a great quick, elegant meal.

　　

Ingredients

4 to 6 servings

　　1 pound conghilie (small shells) pasta

　　1 pound broccoli, cut into 1-inch florets (about 4 cups)

　　1/4 cup olive oil

　　3 garlic cloves, minced

　　1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

　　1/2 teaspoon salt

　　1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

　　1 pound small littleneck clams, scrubbed

　　1 pound mussels, debearded

　　1 cup white wine

　　1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

　　

Step 1

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the broccoli to the pasta water and continue cooking until the pasta is tender but still firm to the bite, and the broccoli is blanched, about 4 minutes more. Drain the pasta and broccoli, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

　　

Step 2

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper, and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes, or until fragrant. Add the clams, mussels, and wine. Cover and cook for 5 minutes, making sure all the shells have opened. (Discard any shells that remain closed.) Sprinkle with the parsley.

　　

Step 3

In a large bowl, toss together the pasta, broccoli, and shellfish. Add the reserved pasta water, 1/4 cup at a time, to moisten, and toss to combine. Transfer to a platter and serve immediately.

　　Everyday Pasta