Name: Asparagus and anchovy pasta
Total time: 25 min
Yield: Serves 2
Ingredients: 200g spaghetti; 2 tbsp olive oil; 2 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced; 8 anchovy fillets, chopped; a pinch dried chilli flakes; 200g asparagus, woody ends snapped off and discarded, cut into bite-sized pieces; 125ml glass white wine; 40g parmesan, finely grated; 2 small slices stale sourdough, cut into pieces; 1 tbsp fennel seeds; 2 tbsp olive oil

200g spaghetti
2 tbsp olive oil
2 large cloves garlic
thinly sliced
8 anchovy fillets
chopped
a pinch dried chilli flakes
200g asparagus
woody ends snapped off and discarded, cut into bite-sized pieces
125ml glass white wine
40g parmesan
finely grated

PANGRATTATO

2 small slices stale sourdough
cut into pieces
1 tbsp fennel seeds
2 tbsp olive oil

Method

step 1
Make the pangrattato by whizzing the sourdough and fennel seeds in a food processor with a pinch of salt until you have chunky breadcrumbs. Pour the olive oil into a non-stick frying pan, tip in the breadcrumbs and cook over a medium heat, tossing regularly, until golden and really crisp. Set aside.
step 2
Cook the spaghetti in a large pan of lightly salted boiling water until al dente, then drain, reserving some of the cooking water.
step 3
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a separate frying pan and cook the garlic, anchovies and chilli flakes for 1-2 minutes or until the anchovies have melted. Add the asparagus and cook for 2 minutes, then add the wine and simmer gently for 2-3 minutes or until the asparagus is just cooked through.
step 4
Tip the spaghetti into the asparagus pan with the parmesan and toss really well, adding a splash of the pasta cooking water to loosen. Season with plenty of black pepper. Divide between two bowls and top with plenty of the pangrattato.