This is a great way to use up the whole head of broccoli, including the stem. The cooking time causes the broccoli to break down and create a delicious sauce. Orecchiette pasta is typically used for this dish, but any other short pasta shapes will do, like penne or rigatoni. This is best served with lots of parmesan grated on top, but you can omit this and the anchovies to keep it vegan.
Put a pan of salted water on to boil and cook the pasta according to the pack instructions. Drain and set aside.
Finely chop the onion and add to a sauté pan with a glug of oil. Sweat for 10 minutes, until soft.
Finely chop the garlic, anchovies and capers, add them to the pan with the chilli flakes and cook for 2 minutes.
Remove the stem from the broccoli and slice it into thin pieces. Chop up the head of the broccoli into small pieces. Stir into the pan and add the water. Put a lid on the pan and leave to cook for 15 minutes, stirring every now and then and adding more water if you think it is sticking. You should be able to break apart the broccoli easily with a spoon when it’s done.
Stir in the olive oil and add the cooked pasta. The sauce should coat the pasta, so add a little water if you need to. Serve with lots of parmesan.
