Regional Italian pasta, vegetable and anchovy first course
Sardinian Gnocchetti with Broccoli and Anchovies is a rustic yet elegant Italian pasta where small ridged shells catch a savory sauce of tender broccoli, melted anchovies, garlic, chili, olive oil, and Pecorino. The result should be green, glossy, aromatic, and deeply Mediterranean.
Recipe video
Trim the broccoli into small florets and peel the tender stems, slicing them thinly so everything cooks evenly.
Bring a large pot of water to a full boil, salt it, and blanch the broccoli until bright green and tender-crisp.
Lift the broccoli from the pot with a spider and keep the same green cooking water for the pasta.
Warm olive oil in a wide pan over low heat with sliced garlic and chili until fragrant but not browned.
Add anchovy fillets and stir gently until they melt into the warm oil, creating a savory base.
Add the blanched broccoli to the pan and crush part of it with a spoon, leaving some florets whole.
Cook the gnocchetti sardi in the broccoli water until al dente, stirring so the small shells do not stick.
Reserve 200 ml / 6.8 fl oz of starchy green cooking water before draining the pasta.
Transfer the drained gnocchetti into the broccoli-anchovy pan and toss over medium-low heat.
Add reserved cooking water gradually, tossing until the broccoli becomes a glossy sauce that clings to the ridges.
Remove from direct heat and fold in Pecorino little by little, adjusting with more water if needed.
Finish with black pepper, optional lemon zest, and a final thread of olive oil, then serve immediately.
