A classic of Apulian cuisine I adore couldn’t be missing from my blog: orecchiette with broccoli. As I’ve already said in other recipes, when you’re on a diet and craving pasta, the trick to feeling full is to use plenty of vegetables. In this case we wanted orecchiette, so what better vegetable than broccoli to accompany this type of pasta?
Of course, apologies in advance to Apulians: this is a light revisited version using store-bought orecchiette and only a little oil. Guests who are not dieting can add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil raw, which suits this dish perfectly!
I prefer to avoid the classic anchovies to keep this meal vegan, but I understand some of you like them, so I include instructions and options with or without anchovies.
Broccoli are great in many tasty recipes; here are a few more you might be interested in:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Affordable
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 2Servings
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Healthy
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
Ingredients
- 6 oz orecchiette
- 18 oz broccoli
- 4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 red chili pepper
- 1 oz anchovies in oil (optional)
- to taste salt
- Points per serving without anchovies = 10 WW points
- Points per serving with anchovies = 11 WW points
Preparation
Clean the broccoli and cut them into pieces. Please don’t discard the stem: it’s full of vitamins and fiber. Simply remove the tougher outer part and cut it into pieces; once boiled it will be very tender.
Boil the broccoli for 5-10 minutes in lightly salted water (it depends on how large you cut them). Drain and set aside. I keep the broccoli cooking water and add it to the pasta water, hoping to retain a few extra vitamins!
While the broccoli are cooking, slice the garlic and the chili. Put them in a pan or a wide skillet with the oil. Fry gently but be careful not to burn the garlic!
Add the broccoli to the pan and sauté over medium heat for about 5 minutes. If the sauce dries out too much, add a little water, preferably the pasta cooking water.
Meanwhile, bring the pasta water to a boil with a bit of salt. When it boils, add the orecchiette.
Optional: if you use anchovies, drain them well from their oil, chop them on a small plate and add them to the pan with the broccoli. Sauté for a few more minutes.
When the orecchiette are cooked, drain them very well and pour them into the pan with the broccoli. Mix well, adjust salt and serve… delicious!
To complete the meal you’ll also want a protein-rich second course. Personally I add a generous handful of cooked chickpeas directly to the plate; I really like the taste of chickpeas with broccoli: try it and you’ll see how good it is.
Let me know if you liked it. I’m waiting for your comments below or in my Club on Facebook
Enjoy your meal!
by Giovanna Buono
