Mediterranean fregola & mushrooms

For ➋

200 g fregola sarda

300 g bite size chopped cremini, baby bella or fresh porcini mushrooms or a mix

1 medium sized shallot

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

5 cl olive oil

5 cl balsamic vinegar

1 tbs  marjoram (of thyme or oregano.)

2 tbs unsalted cold butter (or plant-based)

To cook  the fregola, the trick is to have enough water for the fregola to boil freely to avoid sticking, so salt and bring 0,5 - 0,75 cl of water to a gentle boil.

Cook Fregola as you would pasta for about 13-15 m and taste for firmness. You want it to be al dente.

Scoop a cup of water and set aside to water down the mushroom sauce.

Strain and keep fregola warm in the pan off the fire.


Clean mushrooms with a damp paper towel. Washing them under water can make them turn slimey.

Heat a large skillet or frying pan on a low flame. Cut the mushrooms to small bite size pieces without or without the stems.  If you do decide on using the stems, cut off the bottom third. It is usually drier and more fibrous than the rest of the stem.
 Finely chop the shallot.
Add olive oil, shallots and mushrooms to the pan and increase to medium heat and cook for 5-7 m stirring occasionally until the mushrooms are still crunchy but not raw.
 Add the chopped garlic and sauté for 1 m.

Add the balsamic vinegar, mix well and simmer the vinegar liquid until it is nearly gone. The idea here is cook off the tangyness of the vinegar until it is sweet. 
Stir in the half cup of the water from the boiling pasta, add half the marjoram and give a little stir.

On a very low fire finish off the mushrooms by quickly blending in cold butter 1 tbs at a time. You do this by using the tip of fork to gentle stir the butter through the mushrooms. You are not cooking but gently emulsifying the butter with the liquid.
 Salt to taste.


Add the cooked fregola, increase heat to medium and cook for a couple of minutes to allow the pasta to absorb the liquid and butter. If too dry add a little more pasta water.
 Garnish with rest of herbs and serve with freshly grated Parmigiano cheese.

Open lasagna with melon & ham

For ➍ 

stracciatella (or burrata)

green pesto

lemon (juice)

flesh tomatoes

cantaloupe melon

lasagna sheets

dried ham

pine nuts

balsamic cream

Mix the stracciatella with pesto and some lemon juice. Cover briefly and store in the refrigerator.

Slice the tomatoes into thin slices. Remove the seeds from the melon and peel the melon. Then slice it into thin slices.

Cook the lasagna sheets until done. It is best not to cook them all at once, as they will stick together. Cook them in batches of 3 or 4 and then drain them on a kitchen towel

Assembling the lasagna is best done just before serving. Place a lasagna sheet on a plate. Spoon some of the stracciatella-pesto sauce, a few slices of tomato, melon, and dried ham onto it. Place another lasagna sheet on top, followed by sauce, minced meat, and cherry tomatoes.

Divide this among the plates and finish with some roasted pine nuts and balsamic cream if desired.

Gnocchi with mushrooms & sage

For ➍

2 ts ground black pepper 

olive oil 

1-2 tbs white balsamio vinegar 

300 g mixed mushrooms, torn into large pieces 

15 sage leaves 

sea salt 

250 g gnocchi 

100 g Parmigiano, finely grated 

50 g Pecorino, finely grated 

Toast the peppercorns in a large, hot, dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant. Then crush them coarsely in a mortar and set aside. Place the skillet back on the heat and heat a deep layer of olive oil in the skillet. Add the sage leaves and fry for 1 m, until nice and crispy. 

Remove the sage leaves from the pan and add the mushrooms. Fry them for about 5-10 m. Season with salt. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the gnocchi and cook them for 2-3 m until they float to the surface. Scoop them out with a slotted spoon and reserve 10 cl of the cooking water. 

Add the roasted ground peppercorns to the mushrooms. Add the white balsamico vinegar. Also add (part of) the pasta water and let simmer for 2 m, until the liquid has reduced by half. 

Add the drained gnocchi to the pan and toss them in the sauce. Also add the cheeses immediately and mix until the sauce is smooth. Divide the mushroom gnocchi among the plates and finally sprinkle with extra cheese. Serve the mushroom gnocchi with a salad. 

Risotto & oyster mushrooms

For ➋

120-180 g risotto rice

200 g small oyster mushrooms

1.5 shallots

1 clove of garlic

10 g sage

30 g flaked almonds

10 cl almond milk

20 g grated Parmigiano

75 cl vegetable stock (or poultry stock)

4 cl white wine (or mirin)

2.5 cl soy sauce

2 tbs butter/olive oil

Salt & pepper

Heat the olive oil in a non-stick pan. Fry half the sage leaves in the olive oil for 1 minute until crispy. Remove and drain on paper towels.

Bring the vegetable stock to a boil and season with the soy sauce. Peel and finely chop the shallots and garlic. Sauté them together in hot butter until translucent. Deglaze with the white wine and add the rice. Cook briefly, stirring well. Gradually add the chicken stock, stirring regularly. Add a ladleful of stock each time the previous one is absorbed. Remove from the heat when all the stock has been absorbed and the rice is al dente. Stir in the almond milk, a little butter, and the Parmesan cheese. Stir in the remaining sage. Clean the mushrooms and sauté them in a little olive oil in a separate pan. Season with salt and pepper. Serve the risotto with the sage and the sautéed oyster mushrooms. Toast the flaked almonds in a pan without oil and garnish the risotto with them.

Read the tip on making a quick risotto.

Fregola Sarda alla vongele (fregola with clams)

For ➋

200 g fregola Sarda

500 g vongele clams

3 cloves of garlic, pressed or chopped

1 sweet onion, finely chopped

2 stalks of celery, finely chopped

15 cl white wine

100 g Parmigiano

2 tbs mascarpone

zest of 1 lemon

handful of parsley, finely chopped

salt & pepper

olive oil

Fry the onion and garlic in a dash of olive oil over medium heat until they start to colour. Add the celery and let it stew a little. Rinse the clams well under cold water and let them drain. Add them to the pan and deglaze with the white wine. Let them cook for 3-4 m with the lid on until the clams open. Remove them with a slotted spoon, so that the cooking liquid remains in the pan. 

In the meantime, cook the fregola as indicated on the packaging (probably 10 m). 

Let the clam juice in the pan simmer for another 2-3 m for extra flavour. 

Add the cooked fregola to the pan with the reduced clam juice. Stir in the mascarpone, salt and pepper, chopped parsley and grated Parmigiano. Add the clams (either shelled or with shells). Finish with some extra pepper, a drizzle of olive oil and some more parsley.

Pinsa primavera with anchovy

For ➍ 

2 pinsa bottoms

400 g baby spinach

1 clove garlic

140 g green pesto

125 g marinated artichoke hearts

50 g anchovy fillet

250 g mozzarella

2 tbs dried oregano

spicy olive oil

nutmeg

salt & pepper

Preheat the oven to the highest setting. Rinse the spinach and drain well. Peel and chop the garlic. Stew the garlic and spinach in a pan with olive oil, season with pepper, salt and nutmeg. Scoop them out of the pan and drain well in a colander. Press out all the liquid with the rounded side of a spoon.

Drain the anchovies and artichoke hearts. Halve the artichoke hearts. Spread a layer of pesto on the pinsa bases and spoon the spinach in heaps on top. Finish them off with the halved artichoke hearts and anchovy fillets. Tear the mozzarella into pieces and top the pinsas with it. Season the pinsas with the oregano and bake them in the oven for 10 minutes.

Finish the pinsas with a little (spicy) olive oil and the extra spinach. Cut them into pieces and serve.

Coniglio affogato alla Ligure (rabbit stew Ligurian style)

For ➍
1 rabbit, 1½ kg, cut into pieces

15 cl extra virgin olive oil

1 large onion, thinly sliced 

1 clove of garlic, coarsely chopped 

rosemary sprigs 

sage leaves 

small thyme sprig 

100 g black (taggiasca) olives 

2 glasses of dry white wine* 

8 tbs tomato pulp (polpo di pommodore with pieces) 

salt & pepper 

flour 

50 -100 cl stock*

Wash the rabbit pieces. Pat them dry and roll them in the flour. Beat them off. 

Heat the oil in a casserole. Brown the rabbit. Add the onion, garlic, herbs and olives. Cook the onion on a low heat. Stir in the wine and let it evaporate by half.* Mix in the tomatoes, salt and pepper. 

Stew the rabbit for 1½ h on a medium heat. 

If necessary, add stock to keep it moist. Serve with gnocchi or polenta.

*If wanted, replace some wine with some stock. 

♥︎Fregola Sarda with clams & fennel

For ➍ 

350 g fregola Sarda

1.5 kg clams/ vongele

1 l fish or vegetable stock

2 cloves of garlic

2 large fennels, cut in small cubes, stems reserved

1 bunch of flat-leaf parsley, chopped finely

1 organic lemon, juice & zest

1 glass of white wine

sea ​​salt & pepper

extra virgin olive oil

If you still have to clean the shells yourself, soak them in a large container of cold water beforehand. Then rinse them under the tap. The mussels will then open for a moment and you can rinse away the sand.

Boil a pan of water with the fish or vegetable stock.

Take a deep pan and now add a dash of olive oil. Cut 1 clove of garlic into slices and fry it together with the fennels for 5 m on medium heat until the fennel is translucent and just turns a brown color. Add the fregola and stir well.

Add enough stock (approximately the same volume as the pasta) to the risotto, reduce heat and cover with a lid for +/- 10 m. Fill if necessary. add extra stock.

5-6 m before the end of the risotto cooking time, cook the clams. Place a large frying pan or wok over low heat with a dash of olive oil. 

Crush 1 clove of garlic and fry with the skin on briefly in the oil. Remove after the oil has been seasoned. 

Add the shells, increase the heat and add a dash of white wine. Cover the pan with a lid and cook the shells for a few m. Shake the pan regularly to ensure they all open. 

After 10-12 minutes, when the fregola is just al dente and the mixture looks soupy, stir in the clams and the cooking liquid with a little chopped parsley and the lemon zest.

Squeeze half a lemon and add it, season the pasta with salt and pepper.

Serve the dish in bowls with some of the fennel fronds kept aside and a drizzle of olive oil on top.

♥︎Fregola, cucumber & orange

For ➋ 

2 small cucumbers about 150 g* 

1 tbs caster sugar 

1 ts sea salt 

1 ts coriander seeds 

5 tbs white wine vinegar 

2 tbs dill, finely chopped

150 g fregola Sarda** 

2 tbs olive oil 

1 large orange

2 spring onions, finely chopped 

a handful of watercress 

To make the pickle, thinly slice 1 cucumber and put in a small mixing bowl. Mix the sugar, sea salt, coriander seeds, vinegar and dill and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Pour over the cucumber, cover and place somewhere cool for at least 1 hour. The cucumber will darken a little in colour and soften slightly, but should retain its crunch. 

Bring a saucepan of water to the boil, salt it lightly, then tip in the fregola. Simmer for about 10 m, testing regularly for tenderness. Drain thoroughly, tip into a bowl then sprinkle a few drops of olive oil over it and toss to coat evenly. This will stop the beads sticking together as they cool. 

Peel the second cucumber, halve it lengthways and cut it into 1cm chunks. Peel the orange with a kitchen knife, taking care to remove the white pith, then cut into thin slices. Warm the oil in a shallow pan, add the raw cucumber pieces and continue to fry them gently. 

Add the spring onion to the pan with the drained fregola. Season with salt and black pepper. Fold the pickled cucumber and its liquid into the ingredients, add the watercress then stir briefly. 

Divide between plates and place the orange slices at its side. 

*When using larger cucumber, cut the slices in half. 

**Use Sardinian roasted fregola. Or plain pearl couscous

Risotto with scampi & zucchini

For ➍ 

240-300 g arborio rice

24 scampi

2 small zucchini

2 shallots

2 cloves of garlic

10 cl dry white wine

1.½ l chicken stock

olive oil

salt & freshly ground pepper

1-1½ tbs vadouvan (*)

Clean the scampi (remove the intestinal tract), mix them with the herbs and 1-1.½ tbs oil and put them away in a cool place.

Cut the zucchini into slices of about 1 cm thick and cut the slices again into sticks.

Bring the stock to the boil and keep it warm. We will use the stock to cook the risotto.

Heat the olive oil in a wide pot and fry the chopped shallot and garlic.

Add the rice to the pot and let it fry for a while until the grains become transparent.

Add the white wine and let it boil away. Then add a small tablespoon of stock and wait until the liquid has largely been absorbed. Then add stock again and keep repeating until the rice is done. This will take about 15 to 20 m. The rice should still be creamy, but should certainly not be cooked too flat.

Heat a large frying pan with a dash of olive oil and fry the marinated scampi over high heat.

Remove the scampi from the pan, add an extra dash of olive oil if necessary and fry the zucchini strips in the same pan, over sufficiently high heat (season them with salt and freshly ground pepper).

Add the fried scampi and zucchini to the risotto when it is done and stir everything carefully.

*or 1 ts kurkuma + 1 ts paprika powder + ½ ts chili flakes

Risotto zucchine e gamberetti (zucchini & shrimp risotto)

For ➍ 

vegetable broth 

1.5 l water 

1 lemon, zest, grated 

1 carrot 

1 celery rib 

½ onion 

coarse salt 

risotto

350 g arborio rice 

2 zucchini 

250 g shrimps 

½ onion, chopped 

olive oil 

½ glass white wine 

50 g butter *

lemon, zest, grated 

fine salt 

decorate 

lemon, zest, grated 

mint 

Start with a vegetable broth. Put the water in a pot and add the carrot, celery, onion and the zest of a lemon. Bring it to boil. 

In a frying pan, brown the chopped onion. Add the zucchini cut into small pieces, salt and cook for about 5 m. Add the shrimps in the pan and let it cook for another 2 m. Remove from the fire and keep aside. 

In another pan, toast the rice. When it's very hot, blend it with the white wine. Add the broth a little at a time, and mix the risotto. As soon as the broth dries, add a ladle and continue like this for about 15 m, to cook the rice.**

When it is close to the cooking, add the zucchini and shrimp and cook for a couple of more m. 

Turn off the heat and stir with the butter, stirring the risotto well. Add a copious grated lemon zest. Decorate the risotto with another lemon zest and a mint leaf. Serve immediately.

*Optional.

*Use a quicker way to cook risotto.

Pomodoro torte di Amalfi (tomato & olive tarts)

For ➍

dough:

120 g Italian '00' flour, plus extra for dusting

55 g polenta/cornmeal

70 g ricotta

70 g cold unsalted butter*

large egg (yolk only)

topping:

250 g plum tomatoes

10 cherry tomatoes, quartered

fresh thyme leaves, chopped

1 tbs fresh oregano, chopped

125 g goat cheese**

handful of olives, pitted olive oil,

to sprinkle basil leaves, for garnish

sea salt &freshly ground black pepper

For the dough, place all ingredients in a food processor and mix until smooth. Place the dough on a floured work surface and shape into a large ball. Divide this into separate pieces (1 per person) that you flatten a bit. Wrap and let rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, pour the can of tomatoes into a sieve and collect the juice for a drink. Chop the tomatoes.

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

When the dough is chilled, roll it out into 3mm thick circles on a floured work surface (the dough should be a little rustic around the edges). Top each circle with some drained tomatoes, chopped cherry tomatoes and season to taste. Add the thyme and oregano and crumble some goat cheese over it. Decorate with olives and drizzle with a little olive oil.

Bake for 20 m in the preheated oven, garnish with basil.

*Use same amount olive oil instead.

**Use melting light cheese instead.

tip: Risottatura pasta

For ➋
100 g pasta
20 cl hot water or chicken broth
2 tbs olive oil

Heat 2 tbs oil in pan, fry pasta for 1 m.
Add hot water or chicken broth, cover and cook for 10 m. (Or let liquid evaporate, when stirring the pasta for 7 m).
If there is some liquid left in the pan, stir and let evaporate.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSHIagz6f0Q

https://www.lacucinaitaliana.com/italian-food/hacks/pasta-risottata-an-alternative-cooking-method

Fennel risotto with 'nduja & mussels

For ➋

1 kg mussels

olive oil

1 fennel

1 shallot, shredded

2 cloves garlic, crushed into a purée

1 tbs 'nduja

200 g risotto rice

15 cl white wine

60 cl warm (vegetable) stock

knob of butter

15 g flat parsley, shredded

Rinse the mussels thoroughly. Heat some oil in a large pan and cook the mussels under a lid for about 5 m, or until the shells are just open. Turn the mussels halfway through the cooking time. Pour the mussel liquid through a fine sieve and keep it. Keep the mussels warm.

Remove the hard core of the fennel and cut it into small pieces.

Heat some olive oil in a pan and sauté the shallot for 2 m before adding the crushed garlic. Stew 1 m further. Add the fennel and stir-fry for 5 m and mix in the 'nduja. After 2 m, pour the rice into the pot. Stir-fry for 2 m, deglaze with the white wine and about 15 cl of the sieved mussel liquid. 

Let it boil before adding a ladle of hot stock. 

Stir until the stock is completely absorbed and add another ladle. Repeat until the rice is al dente, about 20 m.

Remove the mussels from their shells and keep warm.

Mix a good knob of butter and most of the flat-leaf parsley through the risotto. Add half of the mussels and gently mix into the risotto. 

Divide the risotto among plates or on a serving platter and garnish with the remaining mussels and flat-leaf parsley.

Broccoli pasta with fennel sausage, lemon & chilli flakes

For ➍

600 g broccoli, in florets & the stem in pieces

4 garlic cloves, crushed

2 fresh fennel sausages (about 250 g in total), skin removed

chilli flakes, to taste

400 g orecchiette pasta

1 lemon, juice & zest

3 tbs unsalted butter, cubed

50 g Parmigiano, grated + extra for garnish

Cook the broccoli in a large pan with plenty of salted water in 3 m until al dente. Remove the broccoli from the pan with a slotted spoon and let it cool. Save the cooking water for the pasta. Chop the broccoli into small pieces. Set aside.

Heat 2 tbs of olive oil in a large skillet or skillet over medium heat. Fry the garlic until it starts to change color and smell, about 2 m. Remove the garlic from the pan and fry the sausages in the oil. Break the sausage meat into pieces with a wooden spatula and season with chili flakes. Bake until sausage is cooked through, about 6-8 m.

Bring the broccoli water to the boil again and cook the pasta until almost al dente, about 9 m (set the timer 3 m shorter than indicated on the package).

Remove about 10 cl of cooking liquid from the pasta pan and pour over the sausage. Add the garlic and broccoli. Season with 1 ts of lemon juice and zest. Mash the broccoli with a potato masher.

Remove the pasta from the pan with a slotted spoon and mix with the broccoli. Add a generous splash of cooking liquid and cook the pasta for a few more m until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the pasta is cooked through. Now add the butter and stir until it melts. Season to taste with the Parmigiano.

Serve the pasta with more Parmigiano, lemon zest, olive oil and chilli flakes.

Gnocchi cremosi di salsiccia e funghi (gnocchi with sausage & mushrooms)

For ➍

3 Italian sausages, casings removed* 

200 portobello mushrooms, coarsely chopped** 

2 shallots, minced 

2 tbs butter*** 

1 tbs oil 

2 cloves garlic, minced 

200 g potato gnocchi 

10 cl dry white wine (such as Pinot Grigio) 

1-2 tbs heavy cream**** 

½ ts Italian herbs, dried***** 

1 pinch red pepper flakes, or to taste 

salt & ground black pepper to taste 

Heat a heavy skillet over medium high heat and cook sausage until no longer pink, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon as it cooks, about 7 m. 

Continue to brown the meat and add mushrooms, shallots, butter, and oil. Cook until mushrooms and onions are soft and beginning to brown, about 5 m. 

Add garlic and cook for 1 to 2 m. 


Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook gnocchi in the boiling water until they float to the top, 2 to 4 m. Drain and set aside. 


Add white wine to the sausage mixture and simmer, uncovered, until wine has reduced by half, about 5 m. 

Add gnocchi, cream, Italian herbs, pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. 

Cook over medium-low heat until sauce has thickened, about 10 m. 

Serve without cheese.

*lemon & thyme pork sausages recommended 

**or use a creative mushroom blend, like porcini, shiitake, small button mushrooms 

***use 2 tbs olive oil instead 

****use lactose-free vegan cream instead 

*****use ½-1 tbs fresh herbs like oregano instead

Smoked salmon & pea lemon risotto

For ➋-➌ 

2 tbs extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling 

1 small onion, finely chopped 

1 garlic clove, crushed 

200 g Arborio rice 

10 cl dry white wine 

80 cl fish stock 

1 mug (120-150 g) frozen peas, defrosted 

125 g smoked salmon 

1 lemon, zest & juice 

small bunch dill, finely chopped* 

freshly ground black pepper 

1 tbs cream cheese or mascarpone****

  

Heat the oil in a heavy-based frying pan placed over a medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 3–4 m, until soft but not coloured. 

 Add the rice and stir well to coat in the oil. Cook for 2 m, stirring frequently. Pour in the wine and cook until it’s almost all evaporated. 

Add a ladleful of stock and stir until the liquid is absorbed completely.** 

Gradually add the remaining stock a ladleful at a time, stirring until all the liquid has absorbed before adding more. This should take around 18–20 m. ** 

Add the peas with the final ladleful of stock and allow them to heat through.*** 

 Once the stock is absorbed and the rice is tender but still has a little bite, stir in the smoked salmon, lemon zest, juice and dill. ****

Drizzle over a little olive oil, season with pepper and serve. 

*When using dried dill, mix a heaped tbs with 1 tbs olive oil, and let it stand for 10 m. Mix with salmon, to spread the taste

**Use an alternative easier method.

***When using g the alternative, drop in the peas 5 m before the rice is ready.

****[Stir if wanted 1 tbs cream cheese or mascarpone through the lemon juice and lemon zest].

Lemon risotto with fennel

For ➋

150 g risotto rice

50 cl warm vegetable stock

2 knobs of butter

50 g Parmigiano

1 small onion

splash dry white wine

1 lemon, juice & grated peel

1 fennel

75 g peas (frozen)

fresh basil

Chop the onion. Melt a knob of butter in a pan and fry the onion in it. Add the rice, stir and cook for a few m until it starts to turn translucent. Then deglaze with the white wine.

Clean and thinly slice the fennel and cut into strips. Add to the risotto rice. Then add a little of the stock and stir and wait until it is absorbed.

Grate the lemon and squeeze it. Add the juice and half of the grated lemon peel to the risotto rice as well. Meanwhile, keep adding stock little by little, stirring occasionally. Add the frozen peas after approx. 10 m. After a total time of about 20 to 25 m, the risotto is cooked, you may still have a little stock left.

Tear some basil into pieces and stir through the risotto together with the grated Parmesan and a knob of butter. Taste to see if the risotto might need a little more salt or pepper. When serving, garnish the risotto with some basil and grated lemon peel.

*For a non-vegetarian meal, it can be served with fried shrimps.

Spinaci con funghi (Puglia spinach & mushrooms)

For ➍

4 tbs olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

300 g fresh mushrooms, sliced

250 g clean fresh spinach, roughly chopped

2 tbs balsamico

10 cl white wine

salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute onion and garlic in the oil until they start to become tender. Add the mushrooms, and fry until they begin to shrink, about 3 to 4 m. Toss in the spinach, and fry, stirring constantly for a few m, or until spinach is wilted.

Add the vinegar, stirring constantly until it is absorbed, then stir in the white wine. Reduce heat to low, and simmer until the wine has almost completely absorbed.

Season with salt and pepper to taste, and sprinkle with fresh parsley.  Serve hot. 

Orecchiette con cime di rapa (orecchiette with turnip tops)

For ➋ 

250 g orecchiette,

3 garlic cloves, sliced 

½ red chilli, sliced or 2 tsp red pepper flakes

5 anchovies*

200 g turnip tops (leaves teared from stems, chopped)**, or tenderstem broccoli

pecorino or toasted breadcrumbs (optional) 

alt:

150 g Italian sausage

fresh rosemary

white wine

Begin by making and cooking the orecchiette and cooking it in salted boiling water. If using dried pasta, add the shredded turnip tops and cook together. If not, cook the shredded turnip tops in oil in a pan.

Meanwhile, gently fry the garlic and chilli with the anchovies in a little of their oil until the has softened a little and the anchovies have dissolved.

Drain the pasta (reserve 1 tbs of the cooking water), then add the pasta and broccoli to the anchovy pan and toss a few m to coat the pasta evenly. If needed***, add 1 tbs of the cooking water.

Add some pecorino, or crumbled toasted breadcrumbs if wanted.

*or use meat from an Italian sausage instead. 

:: In a pan, add olive oil and sliced garlic in a cold pan.  Add the red pepper flakes and finely chopped fresh rosemary, then crumble the sausage meat. Turn on the heat and cook for 10 m.  Add the chopped turnip tops until soft and tender. Add a small glass of white wine.

Cook the orecchiette in boiling water for 8 m. Drain and add the orecchiette to the vegetables. Add some pecorino, or crumbled toasted breadcrumbs if wanted. ::

**or use tenderstem broccoli.

***when using fresh pasta