Nigella

Spaghetti With Chard, Chilli and Anchovies

This is the very first recipe in Cook, Eat, Repeat, and one I return to regularly. There is just something about the contrast between the semolina-sweet spaghetti, minerally chard, and the saline depth of the anchovies that I can never get enough of. I like to use Rainbow Chard, chiefly because I find myself immensely cheered the minute I get a beautiful bunch of it in the house. With its ridiculously bright-hued stems — red, bright pink, orange, yellow, all jumbled together — it looks more like the imaginative creation of a small child with a full set of crayons than something that exists in nature. But you can use any chard or, indeed, kale (cavolo nero/ Tuscan Kale is a favourite), broccoli or spinach in its place. I cook this often just for myself, even though it makes enough to feed two generously, as any leftovers are — trust me — wonderful cold, especially with a little more extra virgin olive oil and a good spritz of lemon juice. The very notion might make an Italian wince, but I dare say I have already caused eyebrows to raise in Italy by suggesting you grate over Parmesan or Pecorino when eating it first time out: the sacrosanct rules there forbid cheese with pasta dishes that contain either fish or a lot of garlic; this is divinely abundant in both. While there is no point pretending that the anchovies aren't central to this, it does seem a bit mean to give a recipe for pasta with vegetables without at least presenting a vegan-friendly alternative. I can't quite reproduce the oomph of the anchovies, but black olives, finely chopped, are a good enough substitution so long as you can find those intense semi-dried ones in foil pouches or vacuum packed in jars or good unpitted olives in olive oil; the ones in brine are disappointingly lacking. Or increase the garlic and stir in a dab of Marmite. On top of that (to boost the elusive umami, and to replace the saltiness further provided by the Parmesan), you will need expansive recourse to nutritional yeast flakes and be prepared to salt the water the pasta cooks in with even more abandon than usual. For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.