pecorino roasted broccoli with bacon and olive oil

     Don't you love when a good friend is visiting? This weekend my best friend from childhood came to Brooklyn and stayed with me - it was awesome! She and her husband are leaving in two weeks to hike the entire Appalachian Trail (wish them luck!) and I wanted to spend as much time with her as possible since I won't see her for a good 7-8 months. This included wanting to cook her some awesome food without having to focus on the cooking too much.

     So I made this amazing broccoli dish! It involves minimal prep. Cooking = simply pop in the oven. It is such a pleasant combination of flavors! The earthiness of the broccoli, the saltiness of the pecorino, the smokiness of the bacon...all brought together by the deep tones of extra virgin olive oil.

olive oil makes fresh broccoli's green pop!

"minced" bacon! I could eat this alone, honestly.

     This is the perfect side dish for a winter night's meal. It would go great with fish or chicken! It's also fine for a small midday meal on it's own. Now that I've made this I definitely see myself making it way more often. It was so easy and delicious there is really no reason for it to not become a staple in my meal rotation! Now you go make this and tell me you don't feel the same...

Pecorino Roasted Broccoli with Bacon and Olive Oil
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20-25 minutes
Servings: 2 people

You Will Need:

• 2 cups fresh broccoli florets (roughly 1 large head)
• 3-4 strips thick bacon
• 2 tsp freshly grated pecorino, plus more to garnish
• 1 TBS extra virgin olive oil, plus more to drizzle

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with aluminum foil, brushing one with a little bit of oil (the broccoli sheet, to prevent sticking). 
2. On non-oiled baking sheet, place bacon strips in a single layer. Let cook in the oven for about 15 minutes until crispy.
3. Toss broccoli in 1 TBS olive oil and 2 tsp pecorino. Get that cheese in every crevice! Spread in a single layer on oiled baking sheet. Place in oven for 20 minutes.
4. When bacon is done, take out of the oven and chop into minced pieces (see above photo for example). Resist the urge to eat all of the bacon right now!
5. When broccoli is done, combine with bacon in a bowl and toss to mix evenly. Grate some more pecorino on top and drizzle with olive oil to serve.

What will you pair this delicious side dish with?