#pescaderian

Orecchiette is an Italian word meaning small ear, referring to the pasta shape.  Traditionally in Puglia it is paired with rapini or broccoli--making a subtle vegetarian dish. 

When we recently moved to the country we had a difficult time finding Orecchiette and kept forgetting to pick it up on our monthly trips to Little Rock.  My husband refused to eat it with any substitutions.  So he was excited when it suddenly showed up at our local grocery store.  So here is one of our favorite Meatless Monday dishes.  One of my tricks is to saute the garlic in the olive oil for 20 to 30 minutes to create a flavorful infusion. 

If you are a lacto-ovo vegetarian, leave out the anchovies and mix in a good quantity of Parmesan cheese instead.  This recipe serves 4.

Ingredients

1 LB broccoli

6 TB olive oil

3 or more cloves of garlic, chopped

6 anchovy fillets in oil

salt to taste

1 LB orecchiette

Parmesan to serve (optional)

Directions

Boil broccoli about 10 minutes (if it is fresh, if frozen cook according to package directions)

Meanwhile saute garlic in the olive oil on low heat, leave it to simmer the entire cooking time you are cooking everything else..

Remove the broccoli from the water, reserving the cooking liquid.

Return the liquid to the pot, bring back to a boil and add the orecchiette.

Cook orecchiette according to package directions.

Add salt to the water to taste.  I used about a teaspoon.

Add the anchovy fillets to the garlic olive oil, smashing them into the garlic.

Remove the orecchiette from the water, reserving the water.

Add the orecchiette and the broccoli to the olive oil.

Add a cup to cup and a half of the cooking liquid, and stir until it thickens into a sauce.