Use a small knife to remove the lower part of the stalk, then divide the broccoli into florets. Wash under cold running water to remove any impurities.

Boil a large pot of salted water and cook the broccoli for 10 minutes until tender.

While the broccoli cooks, slice garlic into rounds and brown it in a large skillet with extra virgin olive oil. Add chili pepper if you like a little heat.

Transfer the cooked broccoli to the skillet with the garlic. Let it cook on low heat for about 10 minutes, breaking it into small pieces with a spatula. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

In the same pot used for the broccoli, cook the pasta until it is slightly al dente. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta cooking water.

Blend half of the cooked broccoli with Parmesan cheese and 1–2 tablespoons of the pasta cooking water until smooth.

Drain the pasta and transfer it to the skillet with the remaining broccoli. Add the creamy broccoli sauce and the reserved pasta water. Toss everything together until well combined.

Serve hot, garnished with extra Parmesan.