Dinner Tonight: Orecchiette with Broccoli, Anchovies, and Chiles
What I love about this pasta is how much green there is on the plate—an almost equal amount of broccoli and starch. I eat so much pasta and I'm terribly fond of recipes that use a minimal number of ingredients, just enough sauce to coat the noodles. But sometimes that leaves me feeling over-starched.
I'm amazed this recipe has never crossed my path before. It's wonderful, simple, and delicious and seems to be relatively common. The anchovies give it depth of flavor (not at all fishy), while the dried red chiles (or red pepper flakes) give it just a hint of heat to keep things interesting.
I made something similar awhile back with cauliflower and orecchiette, but prefer this recipe for its lightness. It leaves the broccoli minimally cooked and just barely al dente like the pasta, keeping things fresh. Broccoli rabe would make a great substitute as well if you don't mind the bitterness.
About the author: Blake Royer founded The Paupered Chef with Nick Kindelsperger, where he writes about food and occasional travels. He is currently living for the year in Tartu, Estonia.
Orecchiette with Broccoli, Anchovies, and Chiles
- serves 4 -
Ingredients
1 large or 2 small heads broccoli, about 1 pound total
2 cloves garlic, chopped
6 filets anchovy, roughly chopped
2 small dried red chiles, chopped, or 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 pound orecchiette or other shaped pasta
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
Procedure
1. Trim the ends off the broccoli, then cut off florets in bite-sized pieces and chop the stalks. In a large skillet heat the olive oil and add the anchovies, chiles, garlic, and broccoli stalks. Cook over medium-low heat until the stalks are soft.
2. In the meantime, bring a large pot of salty water to boil. Cook the pasta until al dente, adding the broccoli florets for the last 3 to 4 minutes of cooking.
3. Reserve some pasta cooking water, then drain. Add to the skillet and toss to coat, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the butter, half the Parmesan, and pasta water (if necessary) to moisten. Cook until the butter and pasta water meld into a sauce coating everything.
4. Serve with the remaining cheese scattered over the top.
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10 Comments:
Isn't it wonderful when something so simple is so satisfying? Sounds a lot like Aunt Josie's Special in Syracuse, NY but they add mushrooms to the dish.
dhorst at 4:11PM on 04/14/09
What might be a good substitution for anchovies? Maybe kalamata olives?
AnaPowell at 4:21PM on 04/14/09
Could I use anchovy paste instead of anchovies? If so, approximately how much?
watersign at 4:29PM on 04/14/09
Love it! Mustard greens is another possibility. And I usually throw in a can of chickpeas.
emilydev at 8:10PM on 04/14/09
I'm also interested in a good substitution for anchovies - I'm allergic to fish.
bgweil at 8:17PM on 04/14/09
I like the addition of chili flakes. I'd recommend making your own orrecchiette but I'm terrible at it! :)
Hillary
Chew on That
Chew on That at 12:50PM on 04/15/09
that's funny, I happen to be making the cauliflower, bacon and orecchiette tonight for the first time since it was originally posted... yum!
wickedlady at 2:08PM on 04/15/09
Made this with the kalamata olives instead of anchovies and it turned out great. Also ended up sauteing all the broccoli at once instead of adding it to the boiling water. Making it, you'd think it would be a little boring, but the heat of the chili flakes and the flavor of the olives and cheese is really nice.
AnaPowell at 4:14PM on 04/15/09
@AnaPowell @bgweil: It would be impossible to substitute for anchovies without changing the recipe but looks like @AnaPowell had success with olives, a great idea -- maybe even capers would work, too. Soy sauce might help achieve some of that depth of flavor.
@watersign: Anchovy paste is fine, I'd say a couple teaspoons of it for this recipe.
Blake Royer at 6:48AM on 04/16/09
made this last night, mostly according to the recipe. it was delicious! only changes i made were to add some store-bought grilled chicken strips for a little extra protein, and also squeezed in the juice of half a lemon at the end as i was mixing the pasta with the butter and parmesan. i think it adds a wonderful bright, fresh flavor to the dish.
mr guy at 10:48AM on 05/06/09