Orecchiette with Broccoli, Anchovies and Tomatoes

Apulia is a land full of delicious and tasty dishes. Among the most popular dishes, there is the traditional Orecchiette with Broccoli, Anchovies and Cherry Tomatoes.

Orecchiette is a kind of pasta made with remilled durum wheat semolina, water and salt. A type of pasta perfect for all vegan people. Strictly hand made, orecchiette have the typical round and concave shape, with their unmistakable wrinkled surface.

Its characteristic shape is perfect for all kinds of seasoning such as tomato sauce, Genovese pesto or orecchiette with broccoli rabe.

See also:

• Paccheri with Creamy Pumpkin Sauce and Clams
• Spaghetti Aglio e Olio 
• Pasta with Monkfish and Cherry Tomatoes

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Orecchiette with Broccoli, Anchovies and Cherry Tomatoes Recipe

• Prep Time: 10 Min
• Cook Time: 20 Min
• Yelds: 4

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Ingredients

• 300 g (about 10 oz) of orecchiette pasta
• 200 g (about 7 oz) of broccoli florets
• 10 cherry tomatoes
• 2 anchovy fillets in oil
• 4 tablespoons of Extra Virgin olive Oil
• 1 garlic clove
• fine and coarse salt
• 1 small red chilly pepper (optional)
• grated hard ricotta or pecorino (optional)

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Directions

Orecchiette with broccoli, anchovies and cherry tomatoes is a really easy recipe, just follow a few small tricks. First of all, in a pan heat the oil over medium heat (1) and add the garlic clove, cut in half and to which you have removed the central green part (2). Add the previously cleaned anchovies (3) and cook for two minutes or until the anchovies have melted. At this point you can add the hot pepper, depending on whether you like the spicy taste.

Cut the cherry tomatoes into four parts (4) and add them to garlic and anchovies (5). Cook for a very short time over medium heat and with the lid on, something like five minutes. Add a pinch of salt but only if necessary (the anchovies are already very salty). Meanwhile, cut the broccoli (6) and put a pot with 3 liters of water on the stove and bring to a boil. When the water boils, add a tablespoon of coarse salt.

Since you have to use only broccoli florets, try to cut very small ones (7). Wash them under running water (8), and when the water is boiling, add the broccoli florets (9).

Add immediately orecchiette (10) and cook until they are al dente (4 to 6 minutes, depending on the size and thickness of the orecchiette). When the pasta is cooked, drain the orecchiette with broccoli and place them in a bowl (11). Remove the garlic from the tomatoes (12)

and add cooked cherry tomatoes to orecchiette with broccoli (13). Stir well then put a portion of orecchiette with broccoli, anchovies and cherry tomatoes in a serving dish (14). Add a little extra virgin olive oil (15) and serve. Add grated pecorino or hard ricotta to taste.

Orecchiette, Dialect Names Curiosities

In Apulia there are several ways to call this particular type of fresh pasta: “recchie or recchietelle” (it: “orecchio” en: “ear”) for their shape that vaguely resembles that of an ear; “chianchiarelle” if they are smaller in size; “pociacche” if they are of a larger size.

There are also flat orecchiette called “strascinate” (it: “trascinare” en: “to drag”) that are only dragged with the knife on the pastry board and not turned on themselves as to make orecchiette recipe.