I have seen the light!  The light!  I have seen it, and it is a tiny, smelly fish. This is the second pasta I’ve made with anchovies in the last month, and I’m a convert. I ❤ tiny smelly fish.

This recipe was incredible!  I mean, it wasn’t that incredible, but from the first bite I was in love.  So let me break it down for you: pasta, anchovies, broccoli, garlic, a couple of chilies, and some parmigiano-reggiano.  I used a packet of Rustichella orecchiette, a traditional Italian pasta made in bronze molds and dried extremely slowly, both of which contribute to a fantastic texture and mouthfeel.  This process of pasta-making also requires a longer boil, which was actually kind of perfect for this recipe.

While you’re waiting for the pasta to boil, cut a couple of heads of broccoli into florets, then peel and thinly slice the stems, removing any woody parts.  When your pasta goes into the water, put the broccoli stems, a couple of cloves of minced garlic, a couple of dried chilies, and a small tin of anchovy fillets (discard the oil) into a heavy pan with a lid.  While the pasta’s doing its thing, the anchovies will melt away, giving the “sauce” a tangy, savory flavor.  Toss the broccoli florets into the pasta pot in the last few minutes of boiling, then drain the pasta and toss everything together, adding a couple of handfuls of grated parmigiano.

I am in love.  This is my new comfort food – rich and flavorful enough that we were both satisfied after one bowl, though we could’ve snacked our way through a lot more if we hadn’t immediately packaged up the leftovers.  While I’m delighted that spring is on her way, I won’t mind another cold night or two if it means I can have this dish for supper.

Recipe:
Broccoli and Anchovy Orecchiette from Happy Days with the Naked Chef