Arcobaleno (rainbow) Farfalle
On our way back from Brightwell vineyard a couple of weeks ago, we stopped off at a local deli in Wallingford. As I gazed longingly at the cheeses behind the glass counter (what’s with the glass anyway? they could learn a thing or two from La Cave à Fromage), I heard a shriek of excitement from Niamh as she spotted this rainbow striped pasta.
It was pricey but sometimes a girl just can’t resist a gimmick – we both bought some and then pondered how best to eat it. I have two favourite pasta dishes – the first is simply coated in butter, garlic and chilli, (probably the best way to show off the colours) and the other a punchy combination of anchovies, garlic, chilli, lemon, broccoli and breadcrumbs, which is what I was craving and is therefore what you see below.
I have been making this dish for many, many years, and I rather enjoy the method used by Judith Wills in her book The Food Bible, which is not the sort of book I actually use anymore, but a leftover from a bizarre healthy eating phase I went through about 6 years ago. Still, her method of pounding together the garlic, chilli, lemon and anchovy oil in a pestle and mortar pleased me then and I still use it to this day. The recipe for me is not complete without crispy breadcrumbs sprinkled on top.
Sadly, when cooked, the pasta predictably loses its vibrant colours and takes on this orangey hue. Still, it cheered me by injecting some carnival flair into an otherwise dreary interlude in what now appears to be summer in London – huzzah!
Pasta with Broccoli, Anchovy and Chilli
Approx 300g pasta
A couple of handfuls of broccoli florets
1 large red chilli
1 handful crispy breadcrumbs (whizz up 1 thick slice of stale bread, crusts removed, and fry in 1 tbsp olive oil until golden and crisp)
Approx 10 anchovy fillets packed in oil, drained (reserve the oil).
Juice of 1 large lemon and zest of half
3 cloves garlic
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
- Cook the pasta according to packet instructions
- Meanwhile, blanch the broccoli florets in boiling water for 2 minutes, drain and refresh under cold water
- Pound the garlic and chilli together with a small pinch of salt in a pestle and mortar then add the lemon juice and zest and the reserved oil from the anchovy tin with some black pepper and mix well
- Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan or skillet and add the brocolli (it will spit), stir frying for a few minutes before adding the mixture from the pestle and mortar and stir frying a few minutes more. Then add the anchovy fillets and stir, allowing them to melt
- When the pasta is ready, drain and combine with the broccoli mixture. Serve in warmed dishes with the breadcrumbs on top
Category: Fish, Main Dishes, Pasta, Starters, Vegetables 19 comments »
June 4th, 2009 at 3:16 pm
Pretty! I’ve yet to use mine. It’s still verty shriekable!
Niamhs last blog post..Eating Sweden for Eating Eurovision
June 4th, 2009 at 3:20 pm
That pasta looks brilliant! Broccoli, anchovy and chilli is perhaps the best combination for pasta. I never thought about the breadcrumbs, I’ll have to give that a go.
Lizzies last blog post..A Green Frittata
June 4th, 2009 at 3:55 pm
I’ve got some of that in the cupboard but haven’t known what to do with it, this sounds like a good combination though!
Kerris last blog post..Barbecued Steak
June 4th, 2009 at 4:05 pm
Love the multicoloured pasta. Does it taste any different? And what gives it the colour?
Jonathans last blog post..Harwood Arms, Fulham
June 4th, 2009 at 5:27 pm
It looks like boiled sweets!
And that’s one of my favourite ways to eat pasta too, the broccoli/anchovy thing. Especially with purple sprouting broccoli.
June 5th, 2009 at 6:22 am
Very pretty. I might combine it with similar colours…thin strips of orange, yellow and red pepper and some basil?
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June 5th, 2009 at 9:04 am
Niamh – It was a very excited shriek!
Lizzie – Yeah the breadcrumbs are a lovely texture on there. Sometimes I like to use the anchovy oil to fry them in if there is enough in the tin.
Kerri – I reckon simple is definitely the way to go as it is so pretty. It’s pasta weather today…
Jonathan – No it just tastes like regular pasta and the stripes are made from natural colourings apparently, like beetroot for the red stripe for example.
Wendy – It is a classic! I have to restrain myself from eating it too often.
June 5th, 2009 at 9:15 am
Fantastic! I am a sucker for unusual pasta particularly when I see some on holidays and have a whole large packet of squid ink pasta in the pantry that I still need to cook up – I am thinking marinara.
June 5th, 2009 at 9:20 am
Mmm, looks great. At the risk of sounding like a 10 year old, I love trying funny shapes and colours, one of my favourite things about going to Ikea is stocking up on the moose head shaped pasta! Good idea to pound the ingredients, I must give that a go.
June 5th, 2009 at 10:35 pm
It still looks pretty colourful to me, after cooking!
Ys last blog post..Hidden cost
June 5th, 2009 at 11:50 pm
Might be a ‘dreary interlude’ but it keeps the temperature in the kitchen down. 34 oC on Tuesday……
Funky pasta. Reminds me I have some blue curacao pasta knocking around somewhere.
Jamess last blog post..Involtini of veal
June 6th, 2009 at 5:35 am
This looks fabulous! And as always, has made me hungry
JJs last blog post..Something for the Weekend?!
June 6th, 2009 at 8:40 am
MsMarmiteLover – Just recovered your comment from spam – what the eff happened there?! Anyway, I think your idea is brillliant. Wish I’d done that now.
Gourmet Chick – Yeah I love squid ink pasta, perfect weather for it too….
Boo – Moose head shaped pasta?! I never knew of such a thing! Brilliant.
Y – yeah it does doesn’t it. I think I was just being a bit picky…!
James – 34C?! omfg that sounds liek a nightmare. Blue curacao pasta? Seriously? You have to blog it. I need to know…
JJ – Why, thank you
June 6th, 2009 at 9:38 am
Very pretty! I’d almost want to put it in a jar rather than eat it…
Predictably I have that Judith Wills book, but I’ve never tried that anchovy sauce recipe yet. My fave is that risotto that has about 6 different sorts of green vegetables in it
Sophies last blog post..Skirlie – fast savoury oats
June 6th, 2009 at 11:15 am
I LIVE on broccoli, anchovy and chilli pasta when broccoli’s in season. Always a winner. Jury’s out on that pasta, though… Not one to have when recovering from a few too many bevvies, that’s for sure…
aforkfulofspaghettis last blog post..a tour of the garden… and the first leaves of summer
June 7th, 2009 at 7:16 am
Very yummy look.
June 7th, 2009 at 9:35 pm
love the addition of anchovy and the chic pasta.
maybelles moms last blog post..Pimenton Potatoes, Spicy Kidney Beans and a Runny Egg for One Local Summer
November 16th, 2009 at 10:23 pm
Love the pasta, but where can I buy this in the UK?
November 17th, 2009 at 6:02 pm
Hi Sukhi, you can find it in most good deli’s. I’ve been seeing it everywhere at the moment. Or check online, it might well be cheaper.