Spaghetti with Slow Cooked Cauliflower and Broccoli

I have a recipe that's similar to this using orecchiette and anchovy fillets. The thought of adding anchovies to anything used to bother me until I took a cooking lesson from my Italian friend, Francesca. She would tell me, "my dear, you haven't lived or experienced Italian food if you haven't tasted anchovies!". That was 8 years ago and now I am no longer a stranger to anchovies. The anchovy is a dark, oily fish which some enjoy on salads and pizzas, while those that are conditioned to eating whiter fish, turn their nose up at the humble anchovy. There are many recipes featuring anchovy fillets and after trying this recipe you'll want to look for more that include this salty fish. The flavor of anchovies is better when tempered with other foods.

Serves 4
recipe from Cuisine

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
350g each cauliflower and broccoli florets
10 anchovy fillets, halved
peel of 1 preserved lemon, finely diced
1 cup pitted black olives
400g spaghetti
Parmesan to serve

Put the olive oil into a large saucepan and add the garlic, cauliflower, broccoli and 1/2 cup water. Place on moderate heat and cover. When you hear it start to fry, turn the heat down to low and cook 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft and collapsing. Remove from the heat, uncover and add the anchovies, lemon and olives. Mix gently and season to taste.

While the vegetables are cooking, add the spaghetti to a large saucepan of salted boiling water and cook until al dente. Remove from heat and drain well. Add the vegetable mixture to the pasta and mix gently. Serve drizzled with a bit more olive oil and top with freshly grated Parmesan.

The Culinary Chase's Note: I added the anchovies towards the end of the cooking period as this allows for the anchovies to dissolve. In lieu of preserved lemon (I didn't have any), I used a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice and found that worked well to give the pasta a lift. Delicious!