Creamy Lemon Fusilli

Serves 6 (dinner sized portions)
Ingredients
1 pound uncooked fusilli
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 lemons
1 ¼ cup half-and-half
2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 cups ricotta (I used low fat)
Handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1/2 cup fresh basil , julienned
½ cup grated parmesan
1 bunch broccoli, cut into bite size pieces
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 lb baby spinach, chopped ( 1-6 ounce bag)

Preparation
Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the garlic, and cook for 60 seconds. Add the half and half, the zest from the lemons, the juice of the lemons, 2 teaspoons of salt, and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until it starts to thicken. Whisk in the ricotta when it thickens, right before you add the pasta.

Meanwhile, cut the broccoli in florets and discard the stem.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add 1 tablespoon of salt and the pasta, and cook according to the directions on the package, about 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chopped broccoli to the pot of cooking pasta when the pasta has about 3 minutes left.
*Add enough salt to make it almost as salty as the ocean. This seasons the pasta.
*You can cook the broccoli in a separate pot, but I cook them together to save on dishes.

Drain the pasta/broccoli in a colander and place it back into the pot. Immediately add the creamy mixture and cook it over medium-low heat for 3 minutes, until most of the sauce has been absorbed in the pasta. Add all the parmesan, veggies, basil and parsley to the hot pasta and stir together for about 1 minute, until the spinach wilts.

Pour into a large serving dish and serve hot.
from Trapped