This butter, anchovy and tomato pasta features a luscious tomato sauce enhanced with the richness or butter and a lovely savoury taste in the background from the anchovies. It does not taste fishy!. This is a super simple dish that can be on the table quickly and will have your guests thinking how you did it!
Recently, I went in search of some epic pasta recipes involving tomatoes. I wanted a change from my creamy baked Mac and cheese). My classic pasta Napoli can take you back to the streets of Italy and is simplicity at its finest. This is something that I regularly make. However, I felt like something a little richer but that could be prepared quickly.
Through this pasta search I recreated the late Marcella Hazan’s tomato sauce, one in which she adds butter. This creates a luscious sauce but I personally wanted to create something with a little more depth of flavour. I’m not taking anything away from her sauce. It is sure tasty. However, I wanted something with some extra levels.
Alison Roman’s Caramelized shallot pasta has been super popular and with a 5 star rating, it is tough to beat. She also uses anchovies in this as her secret ingredient!. Although I enjoyed it, there was a fair bit of time spent cutting the shallots and 15 to 20 minutes caramelising them. I wanted to create something that could be a midweek meal and on the table within 15 minutes. That is where this butter, anchovy and tomato pasta shines!
That’s where this pasta dish comes in. You get the richness of butter, the sweetness of the tomatoes and the depth of flavour from the anchovies and garlic. The anchovies help create a level of complexity in the dish but they are not fishy or overpowering. The tomato and butter help to balance out the flavours.
Still unsure of the anchovies? Anchovies are a key ingredient in the dressing of Caesar salad, something that many of you may have had while out. It is also used commonly in tapenades, fish sauce and anchovy butter (great on a steak!). Trust me! If you are still unsure, try this dish and let me know what you think!
Check out the recipe video below!
Butter, anchovy and tomato pasta
With a short list of ingredients and minimal preparation, this dish can be whipped up and ready by the time the pasta has cooked.
Ingredients
- 300 grams of spaghetti pasta
- One 400 gram can of tomatoes
- 4 tablespoons of butter
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced or chopped
- 6 anchovy fillets (drained and finely chopped, but do not rinse)
- ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ¼ cup of fresh parsley chopped or 1 tablespoon of dried Italian herbs to garnish
Instructions
1.Cook pasta as per instructions until al dente (do not drain)
2.While the pasta is cooking, add butter to a frying pan over medium heat and add garlic. Cook for 2 minutes or until fragrant
3.Add the tomatoes and anchovies, reduce to a simmer and cook until the pasta is ready. Add the red pepper flakes if you are using them.
4.Drain the pasta (reserving some pasta water) and add the pasta to the pan. Add ½ cup of reserved pasta water, stir well and cook for another 2 minutes
5.Serve immediately. Top with Parsley or Italian herbs if desired.
Notes
I recommend using the best quality can tomatoes and anchovies for this recipe. You will taste the difference if you do but if you’re on a budget it will still taste nice either way!
I have found that with 6 anchovy fillets the flavour balance is quite good. If you are a true anchovy lover you may want to add a couple of extra!
The anchovies really give this dish a depth of flavour but if you’re vegetarian or you don’t like the sound of using anchovies, you could try 2 tablespoons of finely chopped cappers instead.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 253Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 36mgSodium: 513mgCarbohydrates: 28gFiber: 4gSugar: 4gProtein: 7g
Although A Taste Of Abroad aims to provide accurate nutrition information, the figures are created by an online calculator and should be used as an estimate only.
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