Total time: 15–20 min		Serves: 6

1 clove garlic, cut in half, green shoot removed
1/2 cup nonfat or low-fat cottage cheese
1/4 cup low-fat milk (more as desired)
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus additional for the table
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
3/4 pound pasta (such as penne, fusille, spaghetti, fettucine)
2 cups broccoli florets (optional)
      

-Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, turn on a food processor
 fitted with a steel blade and drop in the garlic. When the garlic is chopped and adhering to
 the sides of the bowl, stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the
 cottage cheese and blend until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Turn on the machine,
 and add the milk with the machine running. Blend until the mixture is smooth and there is no
 sign of graininess. Blend in the olive oil and the Parmesan, taste, then add salt and pepper
 as desired. Scrape the cottage cheese mixture into a large pasta bowl. [You may want to
 microwave it so it is warm.]
-When the pasta water comes to a boil, add the pasta. Cook al dente, following the timing
 instructions on the package (about eight minutes for penne). Three minutes before the end of
 cooking, add broccoli. Before draining the pasta, add two to three tablespoons of the pasta
 cooking water to the cottage cheese mixture and stir together.
-Drain the pasta, toss immediately with the cottage cheese mixture, and serve, passing
 additional Parmesan at the table.

Advance preparation: You can reheat this dish in a microwave. The creamy sauce will keep for
 five days in the refrigerator. You will have to thin it out with pasta cooking water.