18 ozjar pesto of your choice (I used Mezzetta Branc)
1/4cupparmesan cheese
extra virgin olive oil
1 lbspaghetti or similar pasta
Instructions
For the Broccoli Pesto
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place on a sheet pan and toss with olive oil. Roast until the edges begin to crisp and the inside of the broccoli is tender, about 30 minutes.
Place a pot of water with salt on the burner and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until your desired doneness. In a food processor, pulse the roasted broccoli until roughly ground. Add the jar of pesto and the parmesan cheese. Pulse several times to combine and add a little extra virgin olive oil adding more if you want a thinner consistency.
For the Meatballs
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. In the same bowl, use your hands to combine the ground chicken, salt, eggs, Italian seasoning, grated parmesan cheese, garlic and bread crumbs. Form into uniform meatballs, about 2 tablespoons each and arrange on a baking sheet.
Roast the meatballs for 15 minutes on center rack. Turn the heat to 500 degrees F and brush the meatballs with olive oil. Cook for another 5 minutes.
In a skillet or separate pan, remove the pasta from the water reserving the pasta water. Add a little pesto at a time, along with some pasta water, continuing adding pesto until the desired amount is reached. Serve topped with the Meatballs and more parmesan cheese. Bon Appetit!