21 Comments
Oct 20Liked by Lolly Martyn

Fish allergy! Should I not bother or is there a good sub for anchovy?

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Hi Theresa! Yes you can sub for anchovies. Try to capture that umami taste with another umami. A few options: 1) parmigiano - I'd try adding more with the some pasta water. You might need to add a bit more salt to compensate for the anchovies, but the parmigiano and pasta water should provide most of it 2) chopped olives 3) take it a different culinary direction and use soy sauce or 4) go vegan with nutritional yeast. So many options! Let me know if you try! xx

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Oct 20Liked by Lolly Martyn

Just skip the fish. Will still be great. Or try capers if you must!

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Thanks Ap! Capers is a great idea!

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Nov 5Liked by Lolly Martyn

Thanks so much! I’ll report back.

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Can’t wait to hear! X

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Oct 22Liked by Lolly Martyn

Hmm we've always been more a cauliflower family than broccoli, but I definitely want to give this recipe a whirl, thanks!

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You can definitely make this with cauliflower too! Would be delicious with some friend breadcrumbs on top

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This is such a staple in our house! Am with you 100% on anchovies, too.

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This is wonderful, Jan!! 🐟💕 Did you ever think of it as a superfood pasta? I didn’t realize how chock full it is until I sat down to write out the recipe!

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Yum yum yum. Pasta cu brocculi (in Sicilian) is my favourite. The way you make it is a little different so I'm going to try it. I eat anchovies straight. I also like to make toasties with anchovies and cheese. My god, I want one now.

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Haha!!! You think like me! I go crazy for anchovies. What is different about your version? I want to try it, Jo!

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Love this pasta - I have been making it for years, using Alice Waters’ recipe for Long Cooked Broccoli. The broccoli cooks slowly in olive oil, with pepperoncini, garlic and anchovies. Parmesan and a good squeeze of lemon juice finish the sauce.

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Gorgeous, Barbara! I love the addition of lemon. I'll try that! Is it in the Art of Simple Food?

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I’m in Milan now so I can’t check, but I think it’s either in her early Chez Panisse Cooking or in Chez Panisse Vegetables (wow - even that’s from 1996).

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Oooh I don't have those! You're in Milan! Do you live there? x

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We’re just here for four months. We split our time between Brussels and New Orleans, but recently bought an apartment in the center of Bologna so will be living there every autumn in future. Like snowbirds we enjoy New Orleans’ mild winters but are happy to escape the heat and hurricanes for cool Brussels and spend the fall in Italy. Not wealthy - my husband teaches at Tulane (spring) and la Bocconi (fall).

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No word of a lie: I was mulling over a pasta with a broccoli sauce just this morning! This will be the one I make… and even though I’m not a fan of anchovies (usually because people add in wayyyy to much and all I can taste is fish), I will give this a try as written. I will report back! 🐠

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Good tips! I often replace anchovy with miso, especially if I’m cooking for friends with allergies. 🙂

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Miso!!! Yes!!! You little genius 🤩 🧠 I’d like to try that. Maybe when you are the anchovies, they weren’t good quality though. Because they shouldn’t taste fishy…

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Good morning, Miss Erin! If you are worried about the anchovies, start with less than 5. You'll need to compensation with the salt. OR sub for anchovies by using other umamis instead 1) parmigiano 2) soy sauce 3) veganize it with nutritional yeast or 4) chopped olives. I think I'd go with more parmigiano and a little pasta water as a first choice. Let me know what you do, babe! xx

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