garlic anchovy pasta with broccolini

Noodles & Pasta

Garlic-Anchovy Pasta with Broccolini

Here, we sprinkle the final pasta dish with crumbled goat cheese for nice tangy bites throughout. But if you prefer a creamy sauce, stir the cheese into the pasta in Step 3 along with the reserved cooking water.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 anchovy fillets (see tip)
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
pinch of crushed red pepper
1 (5 ounce) package baby spinach
8 ounces whole-wheat angel hair pasta
2 bunches broccolini or 1 bunch broccoli rabe, trimmed and coarsely chopped
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup chopped almonds, toasted
4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
grated lemon zest for garnish

Directions

Put a large pot of water on to boil.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add anchovies, garlic and crushed red pepper; cook, pressing the anchovies with the back of a wooden spoon to break them up, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add spinach in 2 batches and cook, stirring occasionally, until just wilted, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.
Add pasta and broccolini (or broccoli rabe) to the boiling water and cook until just tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water. Drain and transfer the pasta and vegetables to the skillet; toss to combine, adding enough of the reserved water to achieve desired consistency. Toss with parsley and salt and serve topped with almonds and goat cheese. Garnish with lemon zest, if desired.