Spaghetti with Anchovies

Spaghetti with anchovies is a simple and flavorful dish from Italian cuisine. Here is the recipe to prepare this delicious first course.

Ingredients

• 320 g of spaghetti
• 200 g of fresh anchovies (or in oil, if you prefer)
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 50 ml of extra virgin olive oil
• A pinch of chili pepper (optional)
• Chopped parsley (as needed)
• Salt (as needed)
• Toasted breadcrumbs (optional, for garnish)

Preparation

1. If you are using fresh anchovies, clean them by removing the head, guts, and central bone. Rinse them under running water and dry them gently. Alternatively, if you are using anchovies in oil, drain them from the preserving oil.
2. Put the oil in a wide pan and add the peeled garlic, letting it brown over medium heat. If you love chili pepper, add it at this stage.
3. Add the anchovies to the pan with the garlic and let them dissolve over medium-low heat, stirring gently until they have disintegrated.
4. Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti until it is al dente.
5. Drain the spaghetti while keeping some of the cooking water and transfer them to the pan with the anchovies. Mix well to combine the spaghetti with the sauce. If needed, add some cooking water to make it creamier.
6. With the heat off, add the chopped parsley and stir one last time.
7. Serve immediately, garnishing with toasted breadcrumbs if desired for added crunchiness.

Curiosity

Tradition has it that this dish was very popular among fishermen, as anchovies were easily available and represented an economical way to enrich a simple plate of pasta. In some regional variations, a handful of raisins and pine nuts can also be added, giving the dish a unique taste that balances the strong flavor of the anchovies.