Orecchiette with Broccoli and Anchovies
I got a chain email forwarded a week or so ago that I came oh so close to actually joining in with... Then I remembered that no good can ever come of an email chain letter, no matter how good the idea.
So, I've decided to start an equivalent game of blog tag. The topic? One of my favourites - FOOD!
I'm going to share with you one of my all time favourite, quick, easy week-day recipes and then tag five others in the hope they'll do the same.
Orecchiette with Broccoli and Anchovies (serves 2)
First things first - please don't be afraid of the anchovies. The anchovies in here are in oil, not in salt, which means they're not like the dry, salty, crap you get on pizzas. In this recipe they work with the chilli to create a wonderfully warm and comforting meal. There's a heat and depth to the flavours that just makes you feel better about a bad day from the first mouthful to the last.
Ingredients
- 250g Orecchiette pasta (or another short pasta, but the Orecchiette is best)
- 1 medium head of broccoli, with a good main stalk
- 2 garlic cloves
- 50g can of anchovies in oil
- A large pinch of dried chilli flakes
- A substantial quantity of Parmesan, grated
- A knob of butter
Method
- Put a large pan of water on to boil, you need a pan large enough for the pasta and the broccoli florets, once chopped.
- Drain a generous tablespoon of the oil from the anchovies into a large frying pan and set on a medium-low heat.
- Chop the broccoli into small (one mouthful) florets and set aside.
- Peel or wash the stalk, trim off any dry woody bits and finely chop.
- Finely chop the garlic.
- Roughly chop the anchovies (yes, all of them, honestly, trust me).
- Set the pasta cooking, and set a timer for _three minutes less than the cooking time._
- Put the chopped broccoli stalks, garlic, anchovies and chilli in the frying pan.
- Fry the anchovy and broccoli mix gently, stirring occasionally to stop it sticking. If it starts to dry out, turn the heat to low and cover.
- Three minutes before the end of the pasta's cooking time throw in the broccoli florets to cook.
- Once cooked, drain the pasta and broccoli, holding back a little of the water and stir in with the anchovy and broccoli mix. Stir through some of the grated parmesan, drop in the knob of butter and spoon over a few tablespoons of the pasta water (you did remember to catch some didn't you?).
- Cover and leave for a minute.
- Serve with more of the parmesan over the top and good twist of black pepper.
Drink
A deep red wine goes well with this, something with some fruit to it. Maybe a Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinotage.
Tagging (as in the childrens' game, aka tig in the UK)
Would the following people please step up and deliver a recipe and tag five further food-interested people:
- [mauvedeity](http://uselessofblog.blogspot.com/) Because I bet the [heathen](http://uselessofblog.blogspot.com/2008/10/all-aboard-atheist-bus.html) eats some really tasty stuff.
- [nadeem.shabir](http://www.virtualchaos.co.uk/) Because he keeps promising to share family recipes (but failing to deliver).
- [Sarah B.](http://trafficlightmusings.blogspot.com/) Because she's a real foodie (hasn't got kids, so has time and money to cook proper).
- [Ross](http://dilettantes.code4lib.org/) Because an American perspective would be nice, maybe a nice pumpkin pie ;-).
- [Zach](http://www.zachbeauvais.com/) Because he lives in the countryside and might suggest something good to do with wild rabbit.
Please remember to comment/trackback here so we can follow the thread and to tag a further five victims :-)
Photo: Orecchiette with Broccoli and Anchovies by su-lin on Flickr, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.0 Generic
Comments
[...] In response to being tagged by Rob, I’ve decied to share a family recipe. This is a not so traditional way of making a curry that is a staple in any Pakistani/Kashmiri household. A few years ago my sister, Salma, who is a far better cook than I am, showed me an easier way to make a curry than the traditional method I learned as a youngster. Her method results in the same exceptional flavours and tastes but the early stages don’t feel quite so laborious (no burning/toasting spices etc. ). I was quite amused as I jotted down notes while making this dish, I’ve done it hundreds of times and yet never thought about it. In fact writing out a recipe feel wrong! I never learned to cook this by following a recipe, I learned by watching my mother cook when I was a kid, it’ bloody hard trying to quantify the amount of ingredients or spices since I just normally do it by instinct - something my sister didn’t hesitate to comment on by saying: Your instructions will be hard to follow, why do you want to write it as a recipe on a stupid website, it’s easier to invite you friends round and just show them how to make it, by cooking it for them. [...]
Sarah finally got around to posting a recipe, but wow is it worth the wait... Thai Green Fish Curry
I've also been tagged, but I have a confession to make and a story to tell. Neither will fit in here, but I have (well, OK, I'm about to) post on my own blog. Please feel free to follow along here: http://uselessofblog.blogspot.com/2008/10/tagged.html.
[...] I’ve been “tagged” by Rob Styles to post a recipe and pass on the goodness. I really enjoy cooking, but trying [...]
I have tried making this at home - the exact thing! That was one boring day and I am alone at home with my anchovies and broccoli - try this at home and BELIEVE me, you will not regret it.