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Mezze Maniche with Cherry Tomatoes and Anchovies

17/11/2023

This is a delicious and simple Mediterranean dish to prepare with the Italian touch always present in the recipes I suggest. Here is the recipe for preparing mezze maniche with cherry tomatoes and anchovies.

Ingredients

  • Mezze maniche (quantity according to the number of servings desired)
  • Fresh cherry tomatoes (200-250 g)
  • Anchovy fillets in oil (6-8 fillets)
  • Garlic (1-2 cloves)
  • Extra virgin olive oil (to taste)
  • Dry red chili pepper (optional, to taste)
  • Chopped fresh parsley (to taste)
  • Salt (to taste)

Preparation

  1. Set a pot of salted water over the fire and bring it to a boil. When it boils, cook the mezze maniche according to the package instructions to achieve al dente pasta.
  2. In the meantime, cut the cherry tomatoes in half and set them aside.
  3. In a large frying pan, heat a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and add the peeled garlic cloves (you can leave them whole or slightly crush them). If you like, you can also add a piece of dry red chili pepper to give a touch of spiciness to the dish.
  4. When the garlic becomes golden, add the anchovy fillets in oil, taking care not to break them too much. Let the anchovies melt slightly and release their aroma into the oil.
  5. Add the cut tomatoes and let them cook for a few minutes until they start to soften and release their juice.
  6. Once the pasta is cooked, drain it and transfer it into the pan with the tomato and anchovy sauce. Toss the pasta over medium heat to mix the sauce well.
  7. If necessary, adjust the salt, but be careful as the anchovies are already savory.
  8. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley before serving.

Serve the mezze maniche with cherry tomatoes and anchovies hot, and if you wish, with a sprinkle of toasted bread crumbs for added crunch to the dish.

Curiosity

Mezze maniche are a type of pasta that pairs very well with simple and tasty sauces like this one. The tomato-anchovy combination is typical of Mediterranean cuisine and is much appreciated for its balance of flavors: the acidity of the tomatoes perfectly matches the strong taste of the anchovies.

Mezze maniche with cherry tomatoes and anchovies