Description
A vibrant and flavorful pasta dish featuring trofie pasta and purple sprouting broccoli tossed in a savory anchovy, garlic, and preserved lemon sauce, topped with crispy lemon and chili breadcrumbs for added texture and zing.
Ingredients
Scale
Sauce
- 8 anchovy fillets, finely chopped, plus 2 tbsp oil from the jar
- 100g butter
- 2 red onions, halved and thinly sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 3 small preserved lemons, seeds and flesh removed, skin finely chopped
Pasta & Vegetables
- 400g trofie pasta (or another small pasta shape)
- 300g purple sprouting broccoli
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 2 tbsp olive or rapeseed oil
Chilli Breadcrumbs
- 150g fresh breadcrumbs
- 1 lemon, zested
- 2 good pinches dried chilli flakes
Instructions
- Prepare the anchovy sauce: Drizzle the oil from the anchovy jar into a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the finely chopped anchovies and stir for a couple of minutes to break them up. Add the butter, swirling the pan until melted and foaming. Stir in the sliced onions and cook gently for 10 minutes until soft. Add the sliced garlic and chopped preserved lemon skin, stirring for another minute to combine the flavors.
- Cook the pasta and broccoli: Fill a large saucepan with kettle-hot water, season it generously with salt, and bring to a boil. Add the trofie pasta and cook for 5 minutes. Then tip in the purple sprouting broccoli and continue cooking for an additional 5 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente and broccoli is tender. Reserve a mugful of the pasta cooking water before draining all in a colander.
- Make the crispy chilli breadcrumbs: While the pasta cooks, heat the olive or rapeseed oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the fresh breadcrumbs and stir frequently until golden and crispy. Remove from heat, then mix in the lemon zest and dried chilli flakes to coat evenly.
- Toss pasta in the sauce: Return the drained pasta and broccoli to the frying pan containing the anchovy sauce. Add a good splash of the reserved pasta water and the lemon juice. Cook for a few minutes while stirring continuously until the sauce becomes silky smooth and coats the pasta well. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
- Serve: Divide the pasta among plates and scatter generously with the crispy chilli breadcrumbs to add texture and a zesty, spicy finish.
Notes
- Preserved lemons add a unique tangy depth—if unavailable, substitute with finely grated lemon zest and a splash of lemon juice.
- Adjust the chilli flakes to suit your heat preference or omit for a milder dish.
- Using fresh breadcrumbs ensures a crispier topping compared to store-bought dried ones.
- Reserve enough pasta water to loosen the sauce to the desired consistency.
- This dish pairs well with a crisp white wine like Vermentino or Sauvignon Blanc.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keywords: pasta recipe, purple sprouting broccoli, anchovy pasta, preserved lemon, garlic pasta, Italian pasta, trofie pasta, easy pasta dish
