This traditional Italian recipe for spaghetti with broccoli is deceptively delicious. It’s got a great combination of flavours with saffron, onions and wine. There is also a sweetness from the currants which makes it taste all the more delicious. Its got really typical Italian flavours and is normally made with Bucatini. I think it’s perfect for a dinner party or dinner date, (you can halve the ingredients) just serve it with a salad and a glass of wine. Job done.

Recipe

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

1 head of broccoli
300 ml of white wine
6 spring onions finely chopped
4 tablespoons of olive oil
60g pine nuts
60g currants
pinch of saffron
4 anchovy fillets chopped
500g of dried pasta
salt and pepper to taste
a small block of Parmesan freshly grated

How:

Put a very big pot of salted water on the stove to boil.

Meanwhile wash and trim the broccoli and chop into small pieces. Boil them in the salted water till tender. Lift them out with a slotted spoon and allow them to drain keeping the water in the pan, put a lid on and leave it gently simmering.

Fry the onions and the pine nuts in the olive oil until the onions are soft, then add the currants, saffron and anchovies and cook for a couple of minutes, stirring frequently. Pour in the wine, add the cooked broccoli and a tablespoon of the water the broccoli was cooked in, and cook for a further ten minutes uncovered. At his point you can squish the broccoli with a wooden spoon so it melts into the sauce or leave it in florets if you prefer. Cook the spaghetti or pasta in the big pot of boiling water until al dente, following the packets instructions. Drain the pasta and mix into the sauce. Serve piping hot with the Parmesan.

I shop at:
Waitrose
Sainsbury’s
Tesco
Lidl