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Orecchiette with Broccoli, Anchovies and Tomatoes
Orecchiette with Broccoli, Anchovies and Tomatoes, is a dish that captures the essence of Italian cuisine - simple yet bold, comforting yet exciting.Originating from the southern region of Puglia, orecchiette, which means "little ears" in Italian, is a type of pasta appreciated for its unique shape.Its ear-like, concave structure allows it to hold sauces and ingredients, capturing every drop of flavor. Its characteristic shape is perfect for all kinds of seasoning such as tomato sauce from fresh tomatoes for example or basil pesto.
Ingredients
- 350 g orecchiette pasta ¾ pound
- 200 g broccoli florets about 7 oz
- 10 tomatoes cherry or grape
- 2 anchovy fillets in oil
- 4 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
- 1 garlic clove
- ricotta salata grated, or pecorino Romano (optional)
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Wash the tomatoes thoroughly. Then cut them into small pieces or slices.
- Wash the broccoli as well. Use only the broccoli florets, which are softer and more flavorful.
- Using a fairly large non-stick frying pan, sauté the garlic clove, halved, in the oil. You can even finely chop the garlic if you prefer.
- Add the anchovy fillets and cook over a medium heat for a few minutes. We recommend only two anchovy fillets for 4 people so as not to overpower the flavor of the broccoli and tomatoes. You can increase the amount if you prefer.
- When the anchovies are melted and crumbled, add the tomatoes. Turn up the heat and cook, covered, for about 10 minutes. At the end, taste the sauce and add fine salt to taste if necessary. Then set aside.
- Meanwhile, fill the pasta pot with water and add the broccoli florets. Bring to a boil and add the coarse salt.
- Finally, add the orecchiette. The orecchiette will cook with the broccoli.
- Watch the cooking time! In fact, fresh orecchiette need 4-5 minutes, while packaged dry orecchiette need 8-9 minutes if you prefer them al dente, otherwise 10-11 minutes.
- Drain the orecchiette with broccoli using a skimmer. Place them in a bowl for the dressing.
- Add the tomato sauce. If you have kept the garlic whole, do not forget to remove it.
- Add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and toss.
- You can serve the orecchiette with broccoli, anchovies and tomatoes with a generous amount of grated pecorino romano or ricotta salata.
Nutrition
Serving: 100gCalories: 524kcalCarbohydrates: 81gProtein: 16gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 40mgPotassium: 1093mgFiber: 8gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 2874IUVitamin C: 87mgCalcium: 77mgIron: 2mg
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