Gemelli with Broccoli Rabe and Anchovies

From the kitchen of Carly

Gemelli gets tossed with bitter broccoli rabe, melted anchovies, and garlic in good olive oil, then crowned with toasted panko crumbs. The result is salty, garlicky, and balanced by the slight heat of red pepper flakes. Simple, satisfying pasta.

Prep
n/a
Cook
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Total
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Servings
4
Difficulty
medium

Ingredients

4 servings

  • 11 pound gemelli or other corkscrew pasta
  • 11 (1-pound) bunch broccoli rabe, coarse stems discarded and remainder cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces
  • 11 cup panko (Japanese crisp bread crumbs)
  • 11/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 16 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
  • 11 (2-ounce) can flat anchovy fillets, drained
  • 11/2 teaspoon dried hot red-pepper flakes
  • 1or to taste

Instructions

  1. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.

  2. Cook pasta in a 7- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water 6 minutes, then stir in broccoli rabe and boil until pasta is al dente, about 5 minutes more.

  3. While pasta is cooking, toss panko with 1 tablespoon oil in a shallow baking pan until coated and bake, stirring once or twice, until golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Season crumbs with salt.

  4. While broccoli rabe (with pasta) is cooking, cook garlic, anchovies, and red-pepper flakes in remaining 7 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring and mashing anchovies into oil with a wooden spoon, until garlic is golden, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

  5. Drain pasta and broccoli rabe in a colander, then add to anchovy mixture in skillet, tossing to combine.

  6. Serve pasta sprinkled with some toasted panko and pass remainder.