Pasta with Broccoli Sauce

This recipe comes from a cookbook called "Not Your Mother's Weeknight Cooking". It sounded so odd I couldn't pass up trying it. The sauce is pureed giving it a nice texture. Give it a try - I think you will like it.

1 1/2 lb broccoli, cut into florets and stems trimmed, peeled and sliced
3 strips lemon zest
1/4 cup loosely packed chopped flat leaf parsley
1/2 cup veg broth
1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 medium white onion, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup heavy cream or plain yogurt
1 lb whole wheat linguine
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Bring large pot of water to boil. Add broccoli stems, cook 1 minute, then add florets and cook another 2-3 minutes only.

In a food processor pulse the lemon zest until finely ground. Add parsley and process until smooth. Remove the broccoli from the cooking water and transfer to processor. Add veg broth and 1/4 cup olive oil. Pulse to make a coarse puree. Add some broccoli water if you want to make it thinner.

Heat the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil in large saucepan over med low heat and cook the onion until translucent. Remove the pan from the heat, pour the onion into processor and pulse a few times. Pour the broccoli sauce from processor into pan. Place over low heat and season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Whisk in cream. Simmer 10 minutes.

Bring broccoli water to boil. Add pasta. Drain and divide among individual plates. Ladle sauce onto pasta and sprinkle with lots of parmesan cheeze. Serve immediately.