Pasta with broccoli and breadcrumbs

PASTA WITH BROCCOLI AND BREADCRUMBS

This recipe is inspired by a typical dish from Aragon (the birthplace of Saint Lawrence), which has been eaten since the dawn of time, including Roman times: migas, a very poor culinary speciality made from leftover dry bread. The stale bread was finely chopped and the resulting crumbs were fried in hot olive oil with chilli pepper and salt. You could “enrich” the dish by adding slices of chorizo (the typical spicy salami) or anchovies, or pieces of meat or fish.

Instead, I propose migas combined with a dish of pasta, so it can be eaten during this Lenten period.

Ingredients (serves 4):

320 g short pasta
1 medium-sized broccoli
8 anchovy fillets in oil
1 garlic clove
Extra virgin olive oil
50g grated parmesan cheese
3 slices of stale bread (for the breadcrumbs)
Chilli pepper
Salt

Preparation

First of all, make the breadcrumbs: break up three slices of stale bread and put it through a blender until it turns into crumbs.
Boil the broccoli cut into pieces in plenty of salted water, drain it and in the same cooking water boil the pasta, so it will absorb the flavour.

Meanwhile, sauté the broccoli in oil, add the garlic and four anchovy fillets and stir.
Add a little salt (the anchovies are already salted) and some chilli.
Blend everything together adding a little of the cooking water of the pasta.
You will obtain a smooth cream, to which you will add the grated parmesan cheese and a drizzle of oil.

In a separate pan fry the breadcrumbs in a little oil until they become crispy.
Transfer to a bowl so that it does not continue cooking in the pan.
Drain the pasta and dress with the broccoli cream. Divide the pasta among four hot plates and decorate with rolled anchovies, a slice of broccoli and plenty of toasted breadcrumbs.

(Liana Marabini)