Broccoli and Skate Soup

Method

1. Clean the skate (arzilla): separate the central part and the wings.
2. Place the skate in a pot with celery, carrots, bay leaf, onion, and peppercorns. Cover with cold water and bring to a simmer. Skim off any impurities that rise to the surface.
3. Cook until the wings are tender but not overcooked (about 6 minutes). Remove the wings and set aside to cool. Continue cooking the central part.
4. While the broth cooks, clean the Roman broccoli: separate the outer leaves, the central stem, and the florets. Finely chop the outer leaves.
5. In a separate large pot, heat olive oil and gently sauté 2 cloves of garlic, a few anchovies, and fresh chili pepper until fragrant. Add a small amount of tomato for color.
6. Strain the fish broth into the pot with the garlic-anchovy base.
7. Add the chopped outer leaves and the central stem of the broccoli. Cook for 5 minutes.
8. Add the broccoli florets and season with salt. Cook for another 5-6 minutes.
9. Meanwhile, once the wings are cool enough to handle, pull the meat from the bones using a fork or spoon. Discard the bones.
10. Take a portion of the cooked broccoli and a little broth, and blend until smooth. Return this purée to the pot to thicken the soup.
11. Break spaghetti into short pieces. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and partially cook the spaghetti for 3-4 minutes (do not cook fully).
12. Drain the spaghetti and transfer it to the soup pot. Finish cooking the spaghetti in the soup.
13. Turn off the heat. Add the shredded skate meat and stir gently. Let the soup rest for 5-6 minutes.
14. Serve hot, with grated pecorino Romano cheese on top.