One can never have too many simple, no-brainer pasta recipes to fall back on during a hectic weeknight. Nor one that goes so perfectly with a freshing wine that’s breaking new ground in packaging.

“Penne with Broccoli, Pine Nuts & Ricotta” is ideal for those times when you have leftover ricotta from baking a sweet treat.

This quick and nourishing vegetarian pasta dish is from the cookbook, “The Mediterranean Cook” (Smith Street Books), of which I received a review copy.

It was written by Meni Valle, an Australian cookbook author of Greek heritage who’s an expert on Mediterranean cuisine.

Arranged by the seasons, the no-fuss recipes include “Watermelon & Feta Salad with Flaked almonds, Honey Vinaigrette & Mint” and “Pumpkin & Feta Piet” in spring-summer; and “Green Minestrone” and “Roasted Eggplant with Cannellini Beans” in autumn-winter.

Although this pasta dish falls into the spring-summer category, it could easily be made year-round. It’s infinitely adaptable, too. Don’t have penne? Valle suggests trying orecchiette instead. Don’t like broccoli? Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, kale, spinach or even frozen peas would be a fine stand-in instead. Out of pine nuts? Chopped walnuts or hazelnuts work in a pinch.

Although Valle instructs to boil two pots of water — one for the pasta, and one for the broccoli — you could do what I did instead, which is use just one pot of boiling water. Boil the broccoli florets first, then use a slotted spoon to scoop them out to drain. Then, cook the pasta in that same pot of boiling water.

Next, saute garlic in a frying pan before adding in pine nuts, and then the broccoli. Finally, add the drained pasta with the ricotta.

Valle doesn’t say to save any of the pasta water, but I would advise to do so to add a little to the pan of pasta to better emulsify the ricotta.

Spoon the pasta into serving bowls and shower with grated Parmesan, chili flakes, and lemon zest. Drizzle on a little extra-virgin olive oil, too, to bring out even more the richness of the pine nuts.

Then unscrew — not uncork — a bottle of ElementAL Pinot Grigio to enjoy alongside the pasta. Sure, there have been wines packaged in aluminum cans before. But ElementAL touts itself as the first wine brand to sell wines in aluminum bottles that actually look like slender-necked 750ml wine bottles.

Since it’s shatterproof and light-weight, its recyclable bottles are easy to take along most anywhere. I had a chance to try a sample of the Pinot Grigio, which comes in an aluminum bottle printed with an exuberant steel-blue and white pattern.

This easy-drinking white wine, 100 percent stainless steel fermented, tastes of green apple, lemon, lime, and orange blossom, with a hint of green leaf note on the finish. It’s a great match for the sweet grassy taste of the broccoli in the pasta.

It’s an uncomplicated wine for an uncomplicated dish.

Find ElementAl at Safeway, and Total Wine & More for about $16.95 a bottle.

Penne with Broccoli, Pine Nuts & Ricotta

(Serves 4)

14 ounces (400 grams) broccoli, broken into florets

14 to 16 ounces penne

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

2 ounces (60 grams) pine nuts

Salt and pepper to taste

4 1/2 ounces (120 grams) ricotta

To serve:

Grated Parmesan or Pecorino

Chili flakes (optional)

Lemon zest (optional)

Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add broccoli florets, and cook for just a few minutes, until tender but still with a light crunch. Use a spider or slotted spoon to scoop out the broccoli to a strainer. Rinse broccoli under cold water to halt the cooking process and maintain its color; then set aside.

Bring the same pot of salted water back up to a boil, and add the penne. Cook until al dente, then drain while reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water.

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat, add the garlic and saute for 4 to 5 minutes, until softened. Add the pine nuts and saute for a further 2 minutes, then add the broccoli and stir to combine well.

Add the pasta to the broccoli mixture, tossing well to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then stir through the ricotta. If the mixture seems too dry, add some of the reserved pasta cooking water, and stir well.

Divide the pasta among shallow bowls, sprinkle with grated Parmesan or Pecorino, a few chili flakes, a little lemon zest, and a drizzle of olive oil.

Adapted from “The Mediterranean Cook” by Meni Valle

More Weeknight Pasta Recipes: Creamy Miso Pasta with Shrimp

And: Creme Fraiche Pasta with Peas and Scalllions (and Smoked Salmon)

And: Extra-Anchovy Pasta with Kale

And: Miso Brown Butter and Crispy Sage Pasta

And: Pasta Aglio Con Perponcino

And: Wasabi Soy Sauce Pasta