Spaghetti and Anchovy Butter with Crushed Tomatoes
Let’s spare you the rant on how the internet ate my post. Again. I think it’s a sign.
Let’s talk about Bar Vivant instead. Spain in Portland. It was Spain from nearly top to bottom. After two glasses of Perucchi Red Spanish Vermouth, a Spanish tortilla, a chile stuffed with the best egg salad of my life on a piece of crusty bread, a marinated shrimp, two large, meaty marinated mushrooms, a plate of Iberico ham, two skewers of olives, chilies, and anchovies, mushroom puree wrapped in a puff pastry, and marinated pieces of the most tender octopus I was pretty much right back across the ocean. I’m more than impressed.
Speaking of seafood [again], do you like anchovies? They seem like a such a love/hate food. Bon Appetit debuted this recipe in one of the recent issues, and I have to say the photo won me. A pile of spaghetti marinating in a pool of melted butter and crushed tomatoes. It wasn’t until I read further that it had salty fish chopped up in it. Hello simplicity and delicious. My kind of stuff! Even if you didn’t want salty fish in there, melt some really good butter and do this. Such a nice change from olive oil.
Inspiration: Bon Appetit
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound of spaghetti
- 1/2 stick of unsalted butter [if you go for no fish, use salted]
- 2-4 anchovy filets, depending on your love of anchovies
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 pounds medium tomatoes, quartered
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Preparation
Cook the spaghetti according to package directions. Reserve about 1/2 cup of the pasta water before draining. Set aside.
While the spaghetti cooks, melt the butter in a large skillet on medium heat. Add the garlic and anchovies, stirring to break down the fish and keeping the butter from browning too much. Add the tomatoes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes begin to breakdown. This will take a good 10 minutes. Add the pasta and enough pasta water so it’s covered thoroughly with the butter mixture. Sprinkle with the parsley just before serving.