My first meal in Florence was the best of our entire trip. Was it the fanciest, or most exciting? No. Was the food transformative and eye opening? Not really. But honestly, on a hot day wandering through the Alto Orno, the last thing I needed was an overwrought meal. I wanted something simple, and beautiful, that made me feel like I was in Italy. Alla Vecchia Bettola delivered on every level.  Each bite left me sitting and wondering how they did it. It was like they took the flavors of the food and turned the decibel level up. Clean, simple, but will blow your hair back with pure, unadulterated flavor. Their broccoli was a perfect example of this.

Usually the goal is to have slightly crisp, neon green broccoli, but this recipe returns to an old school preparation. By slow cooking the broccoli, it concentrates the sweetness, and makes it melt in your mouth tender – not mushy. The flavors are simple: garlic, chili, olive oil, and that’s it. So lovely, and so simple. Buon apetito!

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes

5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

3 heads of broccoli, cut into florets. stems peeled and cut into 1 1/2″ pieces

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

In a heavy bottomed pan over medium heat, add the oil, chili, and garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic is lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add broccoli and 1⁄2 cup water, reduce heat to medium-low, and cover the pot; cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft, about 45 to 50 minutes. Season just before serving.