Description
A flavorful and vibrant pasta dish featuring trofie pasta and purple sprouting broccoli, enhanced with a savory anchovy, garlic, and preserved lemon sauce. Crispy, zesty chili breadcrumbs add a delightful texture contrast, making this a comforting yet sophisticated meal perfect for any pasta lover.
Ingredients
Scale
Sauce and Base
- 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
Pasta and Vegetables
- 400g trofie pasta (or another small pasta shape)
- 300g purple sprouting broccoli
- 1 lemon, juiced
- Salt, for seasoning pasta water
Crispy Chilli Breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp olive or rapeseed oil
- 150g fresh breadcrumbs
- 1 lemon, zested
- 2 good pinches of dried chilli flakes
Instructions
- Prepare the Anchovy Sauce: Boil the kettle. Drizzle the oil from the anchovy jar into a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the finely chopped anchovies and stir for about 2 minutes to break them up. Add the butter and swirl the pan until melted and foaming. Stir in the sliced onions and gently sizzle for 10 minutes until soft. Add the sliced garlic and finely chopped preserved lemon skin, stirring for another minute to combine the flavors.
- Cook the Pasta and Broccoli: Fill a large saucepan with kettle-hot water, season generously with salt, and bring to a boil. Add the trofie pasta and cook for 5 minutes. Then add the purple sprouting broccoli and cook together for another 5 minutes until the pasta is al dente and the broccoli tender but still crisp. Before draining, scoop out a mugful of pasta water and set aside. Drain pasta and broccoli in a colander.
- Make Crispy Chilli Breadcrumbs: While the pasta cooks, heat olive or rapeseed oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the fresh breadcrumbs and stir regularly until golden brown and crispy. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon zest and dried chilli flakes evenly to infuse the crumbs with zest and heat.
- Toss Pasta in Anchovy Sauce: Return the pasta and broccoli to the frying pan with the anchovy sauce. Add a good splash of the reserved pasta water and the lemon juice. Cook together for a few minutes, stirring continuously until the sauce is silky and coats the pasta evenly. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Serve: Plate the pasta and scatter generously with the crispy chilli breadcrumbs for a crunchy, zesty finish. Serve immediately for the best flavor and texture experience.
Notes
- Preserved lemons add a unique tangy flavor—if unavailable, a small amount of lemon zest and juice can be used as a substitute, though the flavor will differ.
- The pasta water helps bind the sauce and creates a smooth, glossy finish for the dish.
- For a vegetarian option, omit the anchovies and increase the savoriness with capers or olives, and perhaps add some umami-rich mushrooms.
- Use fresh breadcrumbs instead of dried for better crispiness in the chili crumb topping.
- Adjust chili flakes based on spice tolerance; they can be omitted for milder flavor.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: pasta recipe, anchovy pasta, preserved lemon, purple sprouting broccoli, chili breadcrumbs, Italian pasta dish, easy dinner recipe
