Anchovy Pasta with Purple Sprouting Broccoli & Preserved Lemon

Name: Anchovy Pasta with Purple Sprouting Broccoli & Preserved Lemon
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 8 anchovy fillets, finely chopped, plus 2 tbsp oil from the jar; 400 g trofie pasta; 300 g purple sprouting broccoli; 2 red onions, halved and thinly sliced; 4 clove garlic, thinly sliced; 3 preserved lemons, seeds and flesh removed, skin finely chopped; 2 lemons; 100 g butter; 2 tbsp olive or rapeseed oil; 150 g fresh breadcrumbs; 2 pinch dried chilli flakes

This bold, savory pasta combines sweet softened onions, melted anchovies, and sharp preserved lemon for a silky, deeply flavorful sauce. Purple sprouting broccoli adds freshness and bite, while crispy chilli breadcrumbs bring crunch to every bowl.

Servings4 Portions

Prep Time10 Mins

Cook Time20 Mins

Difficulty

Intermediate

Ingredients

anchovy fillets, finely chopped, plus 2 tbsp oil from the jar
8
trofie pasta
400 g
purple sprouting broccoli
300 g
red onions, halved and thinly sliced
2
garlic, thinly sliced
4 clove
preserved lemons, seeds and flesh removed, skin finely chopped
3
lemons
2
butter
100 g
olive or rapeseed oil
2 tbsp
fresh breadcrumbs
150 g
dried chilli flakes
2 pinch

Step-by-Step Instructions

Heat the anchovy oil from the jar in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the chopped anchovies and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring, until they begin to melt into the oil. Add the butter, then the sliced red onions, and cook gently for 10 minutes until soft and lightly golden. Stir in the garlic and chopped preserved lemon, and cook for 1 minute more.

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the trofie and cook for 5 minutes, then add the purple sprouting broccoli and continue cooking for another 4-5 minutes, until the pasta is al dente and the broccoli is just tender. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water, then drain.

While the pasta cooks, heat the olive or rapeseed oil in a separate frying pan over medium heat. Add the fresh breadcrumbs and cook, stirring often, until golden and crisp. Remove from the heat and toss with the lemon zest and dried chilli flakes.

Add the drained pasta and broccoli to the anchovy pan. Pour in a splash of the reserved pasta water and the lemon juice, then toss over low heat until the sauce turns glossy and coats the pasta evenly. Add a little more pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then serve topped with the crispy chilli breadcrumbs.