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Pasta with Broccolini, Anchovies and Garlic

Pasta with Broccolini, Anchovies and Garlic

By Malcolm JacksonApril 25, 2023

  • Makes
    4 to 6 servings
  • Cook Time
    30 minutes
  • Rating

This speedy one-pot pasta dish is a riff on classic orecchiette con cime di rapa, or orecchiette with broccoli rabe, from Puglia in southern Italy. We opt for sweet, mild Broccolini instead of broccoli rabe, which has a notable bitterness, and we cut the stalks into small pieces that combine well with the pasta. If you’re a fan of rabe, feel free to use it, but reduce the cooking time by a minute or two, as rabe tenderizes more quickly. Each of the other ingredients plays a key role in the dish, lending big, bold and bright Mediterranean flavor. Oil-packed anchovies are sold in tins and jars that vary in size; a two-ounce container should contain about 12 fillets, the amount needed for this recipe.

Ingredients
  • 1

    pound campanelle, fusilli or other short pasta

  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper

  • ¼

    cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to serve

  • 1

    pound Broccolini, trimmed and cut into ½-inch pieces

  • 12

    oil-packed anchovy fillets (see headnote), finely chopped (about 2½ tablespoons)

  • 5

    medium garlic cloves, minced

  • ½-1

    teaspoon red pepper flakes

  • 2

    ounces pecorino Romano, finely grated (1 cup), plus more to serve

  • 1

    teaspoon grated lemon zest, plus 3 tablespoons lemon juice

Step 1

In a large Dutch oven, bring 3 quarts water to a boil. Add the pasta and 2 teaspoons salt, then cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Reserve about 2 cups of the pasta cooking water, then drain in a colander; set aside.

Step 2

In the same pot over medium-high, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the Broccolini and ¼ teaspoon salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the anchovies, garlic and pepper flakes; cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in 1 cup of the reserved pasta water, bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the Broccolini is tender, 5 to 7 minutes.

Step 3

Stir the pasta into the Broccolini mixture and ½ cup pasta water. Remove from heat and stir in ½ teaspoon black pepper and the cheese, followed by the lemon zest and juice; add more cooking water 1 tablespoon at a time as needed if the mixture looks dry. Taste and season with salt and black pepper. Serve drizzled with additional oil and sprinkled with additional cheese.