Mmm Monday: Crispy Orecchiette w/ Broccoli, Pine Nuts, & Garlic

This week's Mmm Monday is a reader request from Spice - sorry about the long wait, but I couldn't find out how to get a hold of you to tell you that the recipe was coming up!

I clipped this recipe from the July issue of Good Housekeeping, and it was part of their celebrity dish feature. Apparently it's Nicole Kidman's favorite.

Ingredients
1lb orecchiette pasta (I used rotelle pasta because I couldn't find orecchiette at the commissary)
7 tbsp vegetable oil
5 cups or 12 oz small broccoli florets (I used frozen broccoli)
¼ cup dry white wine
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Salt & Pepper
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp butter, cut into chunks
½ cup pine nuts, toasted (I had some cashews on hand and used those instead)
2 oz freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Cook pasta as directed. Drain & rinse under cold running water. Drain well again.
2. In a large skillet, heat 3 tablespoons oil on medium-high until hot; add half the cooked pasta. Spread in an even layer, and cook until medium-brown on the underside (about 3 minutes). Stir pasta, then cook until browned on the other side. With slotted spoon, return pasta to saucepot.
3. Repeat step 2 with remaining cooked pasta and 3 more tablespoons oil. Cover saucepot to keep warm.
4. In same skillet, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil on medium. Add broccoli and garlic, and cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add wine, lemon juice, ¼ teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper, and cook until broccoli is tender-crisp, about 3 minutes longer, stirring frequently.
5. Add broccoli mixture, vinegar, butter, and pine nuts to pasta in saucepot, and toss on medium until butter melts. Add half the Parmesan and toss to combine.
6. Spoon into 4 warm bowls. Serve with additional pepper and remaining Parmesan. Serves 4.
   

My advice is to look for that orecchiette instead of substituting another pasta, because the rotelle didn't get crispy at all. I'm assuming the orecchiette would. Also, I would increase the garlic to at least 4 cloves, and make it a whole cup of nuts. These are just my suggestions - try out the recipe the way it is and then make your own modifications!