Ingredients

8 anchovy fillets, finely chopped, plus 2 tbsp oil from the jar

100g butter

2 red onions, halved and thinly sliced

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

3 small preserved lemons, seeds and flesh removed, skin finely chopped

400g trofie pasta (or another small pasta shape)

300g purple sprouting broccoli

1 lemon, juiced

2 tbsp olive or rapeseed oil

150g fresh breadcrumbs

1 lemon, zested

2 good pinches of dried chilli flakes

Instructions

Step 1: Drizzle the oil from the anchovy jar into a large frying pan set over medium heat. Add the anchovies and stir for a couple of minutes to break them up.

Step 2: Add the butter to the pan, swirling until melted and foaming. Stir in the sliced onions and gently sizzle for 10 minutes until soft.

Step 3: Add the garlic and preserved lemon skin, stir for another minute, then remove the pan from the heat.

Step 4: Bring a large saucepan of salted, kettle-hot water to the boil. Add the pasta and cook for 5 minutes.

Step 5: Add the purple sprouting broccoli to the pasta and cook for another 5 minutes, until the pasta is al dente and broccoli is tender.

Step 6: Reserve a mugful of pasta water, then drain the pasta and broccoli in a colander.

Step 7: Meanwhile, heat the olive or rapeseed oil in a frying pan. Add the breadcrumbs and stir regularly until golden and crispy.

Step 8: Remove from heat, then stir in the lemon zest and dried chilli flakes to the breadcrumbs.

Step 9: Return the pasta and broccoli to the anchovy sauce, add a good splash of the reserved pasta water and the lemon juice. Cook for a few minutes, stirring, until the sauce is silky and coats the pasta well.

Step 10: Adjust seasoning if needed. Serve the pasta topped with the crispy chilli breadcrumbs for added texture and flavor.

Tips & Variations

If you can’t find purple sprouting broccoli, substitute with tenderstem broccoli or broccolini for a similar texture and flavor.

For a vegetarian version, omit the anchovies and increase the garlic for extra depth, adding a pinch of smoked paprika to the butter.

Use homemade breadcrumbs from day-old bread for extra freshness and crunch.

Add a handful of toasted pine nuts or chopped almonds with the chilli crumbs for more texture.

FAQs

Can I use other pasta shapes instead of trofie?

Yes, small or medium pasta shapes like penne, fusilli, or orecchiette work well as they hold the sauce nicely.

What if I don’t have preserved lemons?

You can substitute preserved lemon peel with finely grated lemon zest and a splash of lemon juice, though the preserved lemons add a unique salty tang that’s hard to replicate fully.