Let me hazard a guess: You hate anchovies. You don’t like the way they look, and you probably don’t like the way they taste either. I hope with this next recipe, I can get you to rethink the culinary riches of these ugly fishes.
I didn’t start cooking with anchovies until a couple of years ago. Now, I am obsessed with them and add them to just about everything: pasta, salads, pizzas, vegetables, dressings, and eggs (to name a few). Weird though it may sound, I especially love them with eggs. My innermost self believes that just about everyone loves anchovies, they simply don’t know it yet.
When I first started including anchovies in my cooking, I didn’t dare tell my husband and sons. It started small, with a simple pasta sauce that garnered rave reviews from my family. I told them they must love anchovies, to which they responded with a resounding “We hate anchovies.” I will never forget their faces after the big reveal. Some time later, the same trick worked on my son’s friends, and they became anchovy lovers just as my family had.
Here’s the truth: Anchovies often enhance the flavor of a dish when used in small or medium amounts. Too much, and you’ll be tasting the ocean. Many haters, without knowing that a dish is made with anchovies, will find that they enjoy the little fishes. Most of you just don’t know it. So maybe give them another try, I think you might just change your mind.
This particular dish is a wonderful side when you are short on time. The onions, garlic, and anchovies pack this sauce with a bold flavor. The crushed red pepper flakes, lemon zest, and juice add that heat and tang that makes this sauce luscious and satisfying. You won’t be able to get enough of it.
This recipe will serve 6-8 people who will rethink their position on anchovies.
Ingredients for Simple Pasta Sauce:
1 28-ounce can crushed San Marzano tomatoes
3 cloves garlic, chopped
8 anchovies, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup Vidalia onion, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 pound long, thin pasta such as bucatini, spaghetti or fettuccine
1 cup Reggiano-Parmesan
1 cup Ricotta cheese
Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Add 2 to 3 tablespoons kosher salt and return to a boil.
Place in pasta and cook 2 minutes less than package directions.
Reserve 1 cup of pasta water.
Heat the oil in a large heavy bottom skillet over medium-high heat.
Sprinkle in the anchovies and cook until anchovies are melted.
Add onions and continue to cook until onions are softened, stirring occasionally, for about 4 minutes.
Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 more minute.
Stir in the tomatoes, lemon zest, and juice.
Bring the sauce to a simmer and hold at a simmer for 20 minutes.
Add the pasta to the sauce and toss to coat, adding a little pasta water at a time, until the sauce is your preferred consistency.
Toss in the parsley, Reggiano-Parmesan cheese and continue to stir.
Place pasta in a serving bowl and top with dollops of Ricotta cheese.
It’s that simple!
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