In this South Italian-inspired pasta dish, tender broccoli is stirred together with garlic, anchovies and chili to make a chunky sauce. Orecchiette catch the sauce well, while toasted breadcrumbs add a crunchy finish.
Orecchiette means “little ears”: the hollow, slightly indented pasta shape holds sauce well. In southern Italy, especially in Puglia, orecchiette are often eaten with cime di rapa, a leafy green with a distinctive, slightly bitter flavor. This recipe uses broccoli instead. It’s an intentional, accessible variation—not a claim that broccoli is the classic vegetable for this combination. The broccoli is cooked until tender, then roughly stirred so it forms the sauce rather than sitting alongside the pasta as separate florets.
The flavor is built simply. Garlic and chili add fragrance and warmth; anchovies melt into the olive oil, bringing salty umami without making the pasta taste fishy. Broccoli keeps everything green and mild. Toast the breadcrumbs separately until golden brown: that way, they stay crisp when you sprinkle them over the pasta at the table. Finely ground breadcrumbs work best, or crumble a slice of sturdy bread with your fingers. Keep the heat moderate when the garlic goes into the pan; burnt garlic turns bitter.
Fresh broccoli is generally easy to find year-round. Choose a firm head with compact, deep-green florets; the peeled stalk can also be used, cut into small pieces, to reduce waste. Orecchiette are ideal, but if you can’t find them, a short pasta with ridges or hollows, such as conchiglie, works too. The shape is different, but it still catches the chunky sauce well. If you use salted anchovies from a jar, taste especially carefully before adding salt.
The pasta cooking water isn’t an afterthought here: its starch helps bind the broccoli and olive oil into a cohesive sauce. Add it a little at a time so the pasta turns glossy rather than watery. Set some water aside before draining the pasta, too, as the sauce can thicken quickly while you toss everything together. Serve straight away, with the breadcrumbs on top so they keep their crunch. A simple green salad goes well alongside; extra cheese isn’t needed and can quickly overpower the salty anchovies.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs and toast, stirring, for 3–4 minutes until golden brown. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the broccoli for 8–10 minutes, until the florets and pieces of stalk are very tender. Lift the broccoli out of the pot with a slotted spoon and keep the water at a gentle boil.
Cook the orecchiette in the same water according to the package directions until al dente. Before draining, scoop out a mugful of the cooking water.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan over low to medium-low heat. Add the garlic, anchovies and chili flakes. Stir for 2–3 minutes, until the anchovies break down and the garlic is fragrant; don’t let the garlic brown.
Add the cooked broccoli to the pan and stir vigorously, roughly mashing the florets with a wooden spoon. Add a splash of pasta cooking water and stir until a chunky, saucy mixture forms.
Add the drained orecchiette and toss to combine. Add a little more cooking water if needed, until the sauce clings to the pasta. Taste and add salt only if needed. Divide among plates and sprinkle with the toasted breadcrumbs just before serving.
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