Spaghetti with White Beans, Broccoli and Parsley-Lemon Pesto

Steps

1. Prep first: cut the broccoli into small florets, rinse and drain the great northern beans, and pick the parsley and dill.
2. Toast the almonds in a large dry pot over medium heat, stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes until fragrant; tip them onto a cutting board to cool, then chop finely.
3. Make the pesto: finely chop the parsley, dill and garlic together, then stir them in a bowl with the chopped almonds, lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, half the Parmesan, the red pepper flakes and the black pepper. Set aside.
4. Bring the water to a boil in the same pot and add the salt. Add the dry spaghetti pasta and cook, stirring now and then, until 2 minutes short of al dente.
5. Add the broccoli to the pot with the pasta and cook 2 minutes more, until the pasta is al dente and the broccoli is bright green and just tender.
6. Scoop out 1 cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta and broccoli and return them to the pot off the heat.
7. Add the great northern beans, the pesto and about half of the reserved cooking water to the pasta; toss over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes until the beans are warm and the sauce clings, adding more of the reserved water if it looks dry (discard any left over).
8. Divide the pasta among bowls and sprinkle with the remaining half of the Parmesan.