Purple Sprouting Broccoli and Anchovy Pasta

Directions

Trim your broccoli of any woody stems. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to the boil, and add the broccoli. While it boils, get out large saucepan and, before heating it up, add a good drizzle of olive oil-- about a tablespoon's worth. Chop the anchovies up so that they're almost a paste, and mince or grate the garlic. Add both to the cold pan, and turn it onto a medium heat. Stir the garlic and anchovies while they warm up to make sure the garlic doesn't burn. If they're cooked before the broccoli is, take the pan off the heat. When fork-tender, remove the broccoli from the pot with tongs or a slotted spoon. Chop it into bite-sized pieces- don't worry if the florets fall apart. Add it to the garlic-anchovy mixture in the pan, and cook over a medium to high heat, stirring often, until the broccoli falls apart. Meanwhile, cook your pasta according to packet instructions, in the water you used for the broccoli. When the pasta is ready, drain it, reserving some of the cooking water (you can use the drained water to warm your bowls, too). Add the pasta to the broccoli-anchovy-garlic sauce in the pan, season with black pepper, and stir the sauce through the pasta. Add the pasta water a little at a time to reach your preferred sauce consistency.

For a vegan version, replace anchovies with capers.

Serve in warmed bowls.