Here's how to pull it off without overthinking it.

• Boil 2 cups of pasta in salted water according to package directions. Before draining, reserve at least half a cup of pasta water. This starchy liquid is your secret weapon for thinning out the sauce later without losing any richness.
  2 Cups Pasta
• Prep the broccolini. Trim the tough ends off 2 cups of fresh broccolini. If the stems are super thick, slice them in half lengthwise so they cook evenly. You want tender stalks with crispy florets, not raw centers.
  2 Cups Broccolini
• Sauté the broccolini. Heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the broccolini and let it sit undisturbed for 2-3 minutes to get some color. Then toss and cook for another 3-4 minutes until tender and lightly charred. Don't rush this. The caramelization is where the flavor lives.
  2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Lower the heat to medium-low and drop in 3 tablespoons of peanut butter. Stir constantly as it melts into the oil. It'll look clumpy at first, but keep stirring. Add a splash of pasta water to help it loosen and emulsify into a smooth sauce.
  3 Tablespoons Peanut Butter
• Sweeten if you want. Taste the sauce. If it feels too savory or flat, stir in half a tablespoon of sugar. This step is optional but highly recommended. It brings out the nuttiness and balances the bitterness from the greens.
  1/2 Tablespoon Sugar
• Add your cooked pasta directly to the skillet. Toss everything together, adding more pasta water a little at a time until the sauce is glossy and clings to every strand. You're looking for silky, not soupy.
• This pasta is best right off the stove when the sauce is still creamy and the broccolini has that perfect tender-crisp bite.
• If the sauce tightens up as it sits, just hit it with another splash of pasta water and toss again. Easy fix.