When you start to see tender stems of purple sprouting broccoli for sale, it means spring is here. That can only be a good thing - lighter evenings and no more defrosting the car of a morning. It might even be warm enough to sit outside and eat!

• Serves: 4

What you need:

• 375g (12oz) pasta
• 2 x 200g (7oz) packs purple sprouting broccoli
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 quantity roasted lemon dressing
• 3 tbsp toasted pine nuts
• 6 anchovies
• salt and pepper

What you do:

1. Cook the pasta in a large pan of boiling salted water.
2. Meanwhile snap the broccoli in half and add it to the pasta after it has been cooking for 5 minutes. Crush the garlic. Tip the cooked pasta and broccoli into a colander and stand it in the sink to drain.
3. Pour the dressing into the pan you have just cooked the pasta in, followed by the pine nuts, anchovies and crushed garlic.
4. Add the pasta and broccoli, and stir carefully so that all the pasta is coated in the dressing.
5. Taste and season with a little black pepper. You don't need any more salt as the anchovies are salted and there was salt in the cooking water.

Roasted lemon dressing:

What you need:

• 2 lemons
• 100ml (31⁄2fl oz) extra-virgin
• olive oil
• 1 tsp honey
• salt and pepper
• handful of flat-leaf parsley
• sprig of rosemary (optional)

What you do:

1. Place a non-stick pan on a medium heat. Cut the lemons in half, rub a little
   oil on to the cut sides and place them cut side down in the pan. Cook the
   lemons until they take on a lovely golden colour.
   
2. Turn off the heat, carefully squeeze the lemon juice out into the pan and
   add the olive oil, honey, salt and pepper.
   
3. Finely chop the parsley and add to the dressing. Pour it into a clean jam jar
   or bottle and push in the sprig of rosemary if using. Store the dressing in
   the fridge – it will keep for 3–4 weeks at least.
   

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