Purple sprouting broccoli orecchiette with an almond crumb

• extra virgin olive oil↗2 tbsp tbsp
• good-quality anchovies↗6

  in oil

• shallot↗1

  finely chopped

• red chilli↗½-1

  deseeded and finely chopped

• garlic cloves↗2

  crushed

• white wine↗100ml ml

  or vermouth

• purple sprouting broccoli↗200g g

  florets and leaves carefully removed, stalks roughly chopped

• dried orecchiette↗100g g

  or pasta of your choice

• lemon↗½

  juiced (save the zest for the almond crumb)

• flat-leaf parsley↗1 tbsp tbsp

  roughly chopped

• grated parmesan

  to serve

• sourdough↗1 slice stale

  (about 50g)

• flaked almonds↗1 tbsp tbsp

  finely chopped

• olive oil↗2 tbsp tbsp
• parsley stems↗1 tbsp tbsp

  finely chopped

• rosemary sprig↗1

  leaves picked and finely chopped

• lemon↗½

  zested

• garlic clove↗

  finely chopped

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   To make the almond crumb, blitz the bread in a food processor to coarse crumbs. Toast the almonds in a dry, non-stick frying pan until golden, then tip into a bowl. Heat the oil in the same pan over a medium heat, then add the parsley, rosemary, lemon zest and garlic, stirring constantly, for about 30 seconds. Add the breadcrumbs and fry until crunchy and golden, stirring constantly, for 3-5 mins. Tip into the bowl with the almonds, add a pinch of salt and stir to combine.

2. 2

   Put the frying pan back on the heat and add the extra virgin olive oil and anchovies, stirring until the anchovies have melted into the oil, a couple of mins. Tip in the shallot, chilli and garlic and cook, stirring, for another 4 mins until the shallot has softened and is fragrant. Pour over the wine, and cook for another few mins until mostly evaporated, then remove the pan from the heat.

3. 3

   Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Once at a rolling boil, add the broccoli stalks and boil for 2 mins, then add the leaves and florets and boil for a further 1-2 mins until tender. Use a slotted spoon to transfer from the water to a bowl of iced water. Keep the broccoli water on the boil.

4. 4

   Tip the pasta into the broccoli water and cook following pack instructions until al dente. A couple of mins before it’s cooked, put the pan with the anchovies back over a low-medium heat, remove the broccoli from the iced water and add to the frying pan, stirring to coat. Drain the pasta, reserving a cup of the cooking water, then turn the heat up under the frying pan and add the pasta and a good slosh of its water, tossing to combine. Squeeze over the lemon juice and stir in the parsley, then divide between plates and top with the almond crumb and grated parmesan.