Saturday, March 31, 2012

Pasta with Purple Broccoli and Pecorino

I don't usually cook simple pasta dishes, or things with anchovies, but this is really more-ish and worth the minimal effort.  Use high-quality broccoli and hard pecorino for the best effect.


Ingredients

1kg purple sprouting broccoli
1 t chilli flakes
2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 small tin anchovy fillets in olive oil, drained and chopped
12 oz your favorite type of pasta
1 c hard pecorino cheese, grated
salt and pepper to taste
high-quality olive oil

Instructions

1) Bring a large pot of water to boil.
2) Trim the broccoli of the stems and outer leaves, and cut into 1/2" (bite sized) pieces.
3) Heat 3 T olive oil over medium heat, add garlic, chilli, and anchovies, and fry for a few minutes until fragrant.
4) Add broccoli and cook until tender but still crunchy.  Remove from heat and set aside.
5) Cook pasta in water until al-dente, 7-12 minutes depending on the type of pasta you use.
6) Before draining pasta, add a small ladle of cooking water to the broccoli mixture, along with another 2-3 T olive oil.  (This should form a thin sauce).
7) Toss drained pasta with broccoli mixture, combine with 1/2 c cheese, and serve immediately.

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