Simple Midweek Supper - Pasta with broccoli, anchovies, mushroom & chili

A quick, delicious and filling midweek supper dish with most of the ingredients should be readily available from the cupboard, apart from the broccoli perhaps.... oh whilst you're in the shop for broccoli, might as well check out the wine section to see if a nice bottle of red is on offer (I did!).

I tend not to give an exact quantity in most recipes, as cooking really should be a joyous experiment, 'add and taste' is the key. More importantly, each individual has a slight different preference on the same dish: some prefer more garlic and some might prefer very little mushrooms. So long the key ingredients are present then it is entirely up to you how much or how little you want to use each ingredient.

Serves 2

Tin of anchovies in olive oil

A broccoli

Onion, finely chopped

Fresh red chili, finely chopped (or a pinch of dried chili flakes)

Punnet of mushrooms, sliced

Fresh cloves of garlic, crushed

Juice of half a lemon

Enough pasta for 2 people, cook in accordance to pack instructions

1. Cook the broccoli in salted boiling water until soft. Note: Be sure not to over cooked the broccoli, it should have some crunch to it still. Drained the broccoli but save the water for cooking the pasta. Leave it to one side to cool.

2. Pour the broccoli water back into the saucepan, bring back to boil and cook the pasta (I used whole-wheat) in accordance to the pack instructions.

3. Meanwhile, cut the cooked broccoli into small florets.

4. Heat the anchovies infused oil in a large frying pan and cook the crushed garlic and  onion until brown.

5. Stir in the fresh red chili and mushroom, cook until the mushrooms are soft but not wet.

6. Add in the anchovies, cook for a minute or so then stir in the drained pasta, toss everything together and not to forget the lemon juice.

Serve with a (large) pinch or two of parmesan.

Bon Appetit! I hope you will enjoy this dish?