SPAGHETTI w/CAPERS & ANCHOVIES

By BobD

Ingredients

• I am sure you will love the flavor of this simple sauce, so don’t limit it to this dish: Use it to dress either soft or fried polenta.
• Makes 6 servings
• Salt
• 1 pound spaghetti
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 6 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
• 1/4 pound salt-packed anchovies cleaned and coarsely chopped, or one 2-ounce can flat anchovy fillets
• 1/2 cup tiny capers in brine, washed and drained
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
• Usually, pasta recipes contain something substantial such as sliced mushrooms, vegetables, seafood or meat. This recipe, like the aglio olio, has a very simple sauce and will make 6 ‘Italian’ portions

Details

Servings 6
Adapted from lidiasitaly.com

Preparation

Step 1

Bring 6 quarts of salted water to a boil in an 8-quart pot over high heat. Stir the spaghetti into the boiling water. Return to a boil, stirring frequently. Cook the pasta, semi-covered, stirring occasionally, until done, about 8 minutes.

While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Scatter the garlic over the oil and cook, shaking the pan, until golden, about 2 minutes. Add the anchovies, stir for a minute until they begin to dissolve. Stir in the capers, then pour in 1/3 cup of the pasta cooking water. Bring to a vigorous boil, then toss in the parsley. Remove the pan from the heat and stir the sauce to dissolve the anchovy filets.

If the skillet is large enough to accommodate the sauce and pasta, fish the pasta out of the boiling water with a large wire skimmer and drop it directly into the sauce in the skillet. If not, drain the pasta, return it to the pot and pour in the sauce. Bring the sauce and pasta to a boil, stirring to coat the pasta with sauce. Check the seasoning, adding salt if necessary. Serve immediately in warm bowls.

SIDEBAR: Anchovies
Anchovies add an unmistakable or subtle flavor to all kinds of dishes from hot to cold, raw to cooked and simple to elaborate.

There are two main types of anchovies available. You are probably familiar with anchovy fillets that are packed flat in oil in little cans. If you can find anchovies packed in pure olive oil, stock up—they will have a richer flavor. Anchovies are also sold packed in salt, without oil, usually from huge cans kept on the counters of Italian, Greek or Spanish specialty stores. Salt-packed anchovies have a firmer texture and a more pronounced flavor. They also need a little preparation before you eat them or cook with them. To clean anchovies packed in salt, wash them well under cool running water and pat them dry. On a cutting board, hold the anchovies by the tail and scrape off most of the skin from both sides with a pairing knife. Separate the fish into fillets with the tip of the pairing knife by prying the fillets apart through the stomach opening. Pull or scrape out the backbone, cut off the tail and cut the anchovy fillets as described in the recipe.

Anchovies are best when used as soon after opening the container as possible. They oxidize and taste stale when left in the refrigerator and, if you’re using anchovies in a tin, they pick up some of the metal flavor. If you’d like to keep anchovies for another use, remove them from the tin and set in the smallest glass container you have. Cover them with olive oil, seal tightly and keep in the refrigerator. Nonetheless use as quickly as possible. Freezing is fine, but will cause them to disintegrate quicker when thawed and used.

Salt-packed anchovies are wonderful in this simple salad: Clean the anchovies as described above, but leave the fillets whole. Toss the anchovy fillets in a bowl with sliced purple onions, cubes of warm cooked potatoes and chopped Italian parsley. Dress the salad with extra virgin olive oil and white vinegar.