Dishes that come together as fast as you can boil water are important for everyone who cooks. This super simple pasta dish gets all its punch from bitter greens, a bit of chili and some lovely little tinned fishes. If you can’t find broccoli rabe you can substitute kale, or even large leaf spinach, but I suggest you hold out for broccoli rabe. It’s a bit more robust and bitter and plays off the anchovies and garlic perfectly.
Whole wheat spaghetti with anchovies and broccoli rabe
Ingredients
- ● 250 grams fresh whole wheat spaghetti
- ● 2 tbsp olive oil
- ● 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- ● 5 anchovy filets, chopped
- ● 1 chili pepper, chopped (or 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes)
- ● 1 bunch broccoli rabe, coarsely chopped
- ● 2 tbsp butter, cut into small cubes
- ● Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to
the boil, cook spaghetti to desired doneness. - In a large cast iron skillet, heat
olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add garlic and anchovies and
cook until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the broccoli rabe and continue to
cook, tossing often until the broccoli rabe is soft, about 4 minutes. Add chili
and remove from heat. - Once pasta is cooked, reserve 1 cup
of cooking liquid and then add drained pasta to the pan with broccoli rabe and
return to medium-high heat. Add cubed butter and reserved pasta water 1/4 cup
at a time, tossing pasta often until a light sauce forms. Season to taste with
salt and pepper and serve.