Recipe: Orecchiette with broccoli and anchovies
The question ‘what are we going to eat today?’ can be quite a struggle on some days. Instead of taking a frozen pizza out of the freezer, Louise de Brabander shows in her new cookbook Easy dinners that cooking can also be very efficient and quick without compromising on flavour, like these orecchiette with broccoli and anchovies, for example.
“I’m a sucker for traditions and little habits. So once or twice a year, we head down to the Marolles in Brussels. We always start the day at the epicentre of this lively neighbourhood: the flea market on Place du Jeu de Balle. After finding a few old pastel-coloured plates or a set of antique wine glasses for next to nothing, we traditionally settle down with an aperitif on one of the terraces overlooking the market. Then we stroll from Rue Blaes to Rue Haute for some window-shopping among the antique dealers, bric-a-brac shops and expensive interior design stores. By lunchtime, we find a table at the Italian restaurant a little further down the street. The tables are far too close together and, to put it mildly, the atmosphere is lively. But that is part of its charm, and we keep going back time and again, because, well, tradition… but mainly because they serve a delicious orecchiette cime di rape, which I – you guessed it – order every single time.”
Anchovies and broccoli are like yin and yang
“Ever since I first ate the combination of pasta, anchovies and turnip greens here, about ten years ago, I’ve been hooked. Addicted, even. Since then, I’ve been perfecting a similar pasta at home with broccoli, because turnip greens have an incredibly short season and are almost impossible to find in the average supermarket. Personally, I actually think anchovies and broccoli are an even better match. They are like yin and yang, and can hardly do without each other. The powerful, briny savouriness of anchovies beautifully brings out the bittersweet flavour of broccoli. Opposite and complementary at the same time. As if that weren’t enough, I like to add a handful of anchovies’ loud friends: a few Kalamata olives, two heaped tablespoons of capers, salty Parmesan, spicy chilli pepper and, of course, the indispensable cloves of garlic. The result: an explosion of umami-rich, briny and powerful flavours without being overpowering, thanks to the mild flavour of the broccoli.”
How to make orecchiette with broccoli and anchovies
- Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the packet in salted water until al dente. Add the broccoli florets and stems during the final 2 minutes.
- Toast the pine nuts until golden brown in a dry pan. Be careful not to burn them!
- Warm the olive oil over low heat in a small saucepan and add the anchovies, garlic and chilli flakes. Mash the anchovies with a wooden spoon and stir until they dissolve into the oil. This takes about 2 minutes. Add the capers, olives and 3 tablespoons of the pasta cooking water, and let the sauce heat through for a little longer. Stir occasionally.
- Drain the pasta and broccoli, then mix in the anchovy sauce and pine nuts. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan.
Title: Easy dinners
Author: Louise de Brabander
Price: €31,99
Publisher: Carrera Culinair
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