Usually, pasta recipes contain something substantial such as sliced mushrooms, vegetables, seafood, or meat. This recipe, like the aglio e olio on page 103, has a very simple sauce and will make 6 “Italian” portions. Simplicity goes a long way, especially with intense flavors such as anchovies and capers. If you’d like more substantial servings, increase the spaghetti to 1 1/ 2 pounds and the rest of the ingredients by one-half.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 6 servings
Ingredients
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.
Step 2
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 and 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 fillets.
Step 3
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.
Variation: Spaghetti with Anchovies and Bread Crumbs
Step 4
Prepare the sauce as described above, using or omitting the capers. After tossing the pasta and sauce together, sprinkle about 1/3 cup toasted bread crumbs over the pasta and toss again. Serve immediately.
