Use a small knife to remove the lower part of the broccoli stalk, then cut the broccoli into evenly sized florets. Rinse them thoroughly under cold running water to remove impurities.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the broccoli florets and cook for about 10 minutes until they are tender but not mushy.

While the broccoli cooks, thinly slice the garlic cloves into rounds. In a large skillet, heat the extra virgin olive oil over medium heat and gently brown the garlic slices. If you like heat, add some red chili pepper at this stage.

Drain the cooked broccoli and transfer it to the skillet with the browned garlic. Cook together on low heat for about 10 minutes, breaking the broccoli into smaller pieces using a spatula. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.

In the same pot used for boiling the broccoli, add fresh salted water and cook the pasta according to package instructions until slightly al dente. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta cooking water before draining.

Take half of the cooked broccoli and blend it together with the Parmesan cheese and 1 to 2 tablespoons of the reserved pasta cooking water until a smooth, creamy sauce forms.

Drain the pasta and add it to the skillet containing the remaining broccoli. Pour in the creamy broccoli sauce and the rest of the reserved pasta water. Toss everything gently until well combined and heated through.

Plate the pasta hot, garnished with extra Parmesan cheese if desired. Enjoy immediately for best flavor.