Food52
I first had Spaghetti Aglio Olio with Broccoli on a roadtrip to Woodstock, NY with my older sister and her then boyfriend (later husband). I've loved it since. Looking back, that version was probably nothing special, but as a teenager trying out vegetarianism in a house of meat eaters, it was a symbol of adulthood and freedom that I could choose a new, and for my parents, radical way of eating. My sister, nine years older, was a huge influence on me when I was growing up. She brought me books and exposed me to new food experiences such as fresh vegetables (particularly broccoli), stir fries and home baked cookies. She bought me my first cookbooks, the Moosewood when I went to college and Susan Branch's Heart of the Home for my first wedding anniversary. I was a latecomer to cooking, but other than Jewish holiday food, most of my early influences came from her. Sadly, it was also my sister who set me on my current course, cooking wise. She died three years ago, of a sudden heart attack at age 53. Doctors have advised me that the cardiac history of a sibling is even more telling than that of a parent. So, in an effort to do whatever possible to fight genetics, I try to eat well while being well. I miss her everyday, so it's in her honor that I submit this recipe as the one I'd like to be remembered for. I came up with this last year for the broccoli contest in an attempt to recreate the dish I loved so long ago. I've updated it and made it my own. This recipe includes anchovies, so it's no longer vegetarian, but then, neither am I.