Whole wheat spaghetti with anchovies and broccoli rabe

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
Yield: 4

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

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to
    the boil, cook spaghetti to desired doneness.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.

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