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PASTA WITH ANCHOVY SAUCE

PASTA WITH ANCHOVY SAUCE

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Serves: 8

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I have a feeling that this is another recipe with a del Conte derivation, although I have cooked it so often over the years, I can't now remember what I've added to it and when. I know that people feel very strongly about anchovies, but this is guaranteed - as much as one can guarantee anything - to overcome the most squealing of prejudices. Do not think of that salty dried-up thing that curls up and dies on top of cheap takeaway pizzas: the anchovies here are mellow and, with the soft-cooked onions, have a savoury but honeyed intensity - not strong, just deep-toned and harmonious. To be on the safe side, you could just serve this as 'pasta in Venetian sauce', failing to mention the anchovy element.

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Ingredients

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  • 2 large onions
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 5 tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon soft light brown sugar
  • 12 anchovies (or 1 x 60g can in olive oil)
  • 15 grams butter
  • tiniest pinch of ground cloves
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 125 ml full fat milk
  • 500 grams linguine (bigoli, bucatini, perciatelli or other robust pasta)
  • 1 bunch freshly chopped fresh flatleaf parsley
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Method

  1. Finely chop the onions and garlic. To be honest, I'd do this in the processor every time. It's not just that it's easier, but that it makes the onion meld into the sauce so well later.
  2. Heat the oil in a heavy-based pan and cook the very finely chopped onion and garlic over a low heat until you have a soft, golden mush - about 10 minutes. Add the brown sugar (though white is fine too), stir it in and let the onion mixture cook for another minute or so.
  3. Remove the anchovies from the tin, and chop them very finely; I use my mezzaluna for this. Add them to the onion mush, stirring until they begin to "melt", then stir in the butter and the pinch of ground cloves, followed by a tablespoonful of water and when all is combined, gradually stir in the milk. When this has come together as a puree, take the pan off the heat.
  4. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in abundant salted water according to the packet instructions, removing a ladleful of cooking liquid just before you drain it.
  5. Tip the drained pasta into the anchovy and onion sauce and add the reserved cooking water to help lubricate the pasta. You may not need all of the water, so pour in gradually. Add some oil from the anchovy tin if you need it too. And, of course, if the pan isn't big enough to take all the pasta, just put it back into the pan it was cooked in and pour the sauce over the top.
  6. Sprinkle over most of the parsley, just roughly chopped, thoroughly turning the pasta in the pan to coat each strand in the anchovy sauce. Remove to a warm bowl, sprinkle over the remaining parsley and take to the table.

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  • Nice recipe. I boil the onions for 5 minutes (to get rid of the bitternes) then put them in the biff baff boff machine. Particularly good recipe for people not particularly keen on anchovies

    Posted by herbeano on 20th May 2011 at 17.49

  • I made this just the other night. I added some grape tomatoes and mix in the pasta when they began to burst. Simple. Delicious. Satisfying.

    Posted by LadyT_TNT on 23rd Aug 2012 at 19.00