Rich, Savory Garlic Anchovy Pasta with Broccoli
Get ready for a deeply rich and slightly creamy umami flavor with this quick and easy weeknight Garlic Anchovy Pasta with Broccoli. Though this dish has anchovies, don’t be nervous about them! They add a funky, umami flavor that pairs well with tangy goat cheese and garlic.
The Fifth Element of Taste
You may be wondering what umami is, and that’s a good question. Umami is the fifth taste, and it’s a pretty recent discovery! Umami was discovered in 1908 by Japanese scientist Dr. Kikunae Ikeda. While enjoying a bowl of broth, he noticed that the savory flavor was distinctly different from the four basic tastes we know.
Umami translates to “essence of deliciousness” in Japanese. Typically you find this flavor in foods that contain high levels of glutamate. Umami has 3 distinct properties: the taste spreads across the tongue, it lasts longer than other tastes, and it makes your mouth water. You typically taste Umami in meats like beef and pork,fish, gravies, broths, tomatoes, cheese, and sauces.
Lotsa Pasta
This recipe is great for a busy weeknight because you can do some minor things to really change it up. If you want a creamy sauce with it instead of just goat cheese throughout, you can mix the goat cheese with a cup of reserved water to make a creamy sauce that you can toss the pasta in. You can easily swap out the angel hair for another pasta like rigatoni to switch it up. Just some small things that keep this dish fresh for repeat eating because once you try this dish once, you’ll be making it time and time again.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 anchovy filets
- 5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- Crushed red pepper
- 1 5oz package baby spinach
- 8 oz angel hair pasta
- 2 bunches of broccoli
- ¼ cup chopped parsley
- ½ cup chopped almonds, sliced
- 4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
- Lemon zest
- Dan-O’s Spicy Seasoning
- Dan-O’s Original Seasoning
Preparation Instructions
- Heat some olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Then add 6 anchovy filets, 5 thinly sliced garlic cloves, some crushed red pepper, and a sprinkling of Dan-O’s Spicy. Cook that for about 2 minutes, breaking up the anchovies as they cook.
- Next, add one 5oz pack of spinach and cook for about 1 minute. At this point you can add in some more Dan-O’s Original. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm
- Next, add 8 ounces of angel hair pasta to a pot of boiling water, then add 2 bunches of broccoli. Cook that for about 5 minutes until the broccoli becomes tender.
- Drain the pasta and broccoli then add that to the skillet. Add ¼ cup of chopped parsley and a heavy sprinkling of Dan-O’s Original and mix.
- When you serve, top with chopped almonds, goat cheese and lemon zest.
- Enjoy!
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