Christmas Eve Sicilian Anchovy Pasta Food

SICILIAN SPAGHETTI

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
• Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat and add garlic and anchovies to cook for about 2 minutes; stir constantly.
• Stir in breadcrumbs and turn off heat. Add parsley and black ground pepper; mix together.
• Toss anchovy sauce with hot pasta and sprinkle with cheese; serve.

PASTA WITH BREAD CRUMBS AND ANCHOVIES, SICILIAN STYLE

Steps:

• Place olive oil and garlic in a heavy skillet and gently cook the garlic over medium heat until golden. Discard garlic. Add the red-pepper flakes and anchovies and mash to a puree with the back of a wooden spoon over very low heat, about one minute. Remove from heat. Do not allow oil to get very hot. Can be prepared in advance to this point.
• Cook the spaghettini in boiling, salted water until cooked al dente. While the pasta is cooking, transfer three tablespoons of the pasta cooking water to the anchovy-oil mixture in order to stretch the sauce; reheat carefully. Drain pasta, then transfer it to the skillet and toss with the hot sauce. Divide evenly on four heated dishes, sprinkle with parsley and serve at once. Pass the bread crumbs.

PASTA C'ANCIUOVA E MUDDICA ATTURRATA (SICILIAN PASTA WITH ANCHOVIES AND TOASTED BREADCRUMBS) RECIPE

Steps:

• For the Toasted Breadcrumbs: If using fresh or lightly stale bread, adjust oven rack to middle position, and preheat oven to 325°F (165°C). (If using fully stale and dried bread, skip baking step.) Arrange bread in single layer on rimmed baking sheet, and bake until completely dried, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven, and allow to cool to room temperature, about 5 minutes. Transfer bread to food processor bowl (set aside but don't clean rimmed baking sheet), and pulse until reduced to small crumbs, taking care not to over-process into a fine powder, 8 to 10 pulses.
• Combine breadcrumbs and 1 tablespoon (15ml) oil in a large skillet, and cook over medium-low heat, stirring and tossing occasionally, until crisp and golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Season lightly with salt. Transfer toasted breadcrumbs to reserved rimmed baking sheet, spread into an even layer, and set aside to cool to room temperature. Once cool, set aside 1/2 cup (60g) toasted breadcrumbs for the pasta, and transfer remaining crumbs to an airtight container for future use; the extra breadcrumbs can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
• For the Pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat, and season very lightly with salt; use a ratio of 1 tablespoon (12g) of Diamond Crystal kosher salt per 1 gallon (4L) of water.
• Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 3 tablespoons (45ml) oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until softened but not browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Add anchovies and cook, stirring and breaking up anchovies occasionally with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, until anchovies have dissolved, about 4 minutes. Add tomato estratto or paste, stir to combine with allium-anchovy mixture, and continue to cook until mixture turns dark brick red and is very dry, 2 to 4 minutes longer. Transfer 1 cup (240ml) boiling water from pot to skillet to loosen tomato-anchovy mixture, and stir until it becomes homogenous and saucy. Reduce heat on skillet to lowest possible setting, to just keep sauce warm; if your burner can only be reduced to a simmer, then turn heat off entirely.
• Cook pasta in the pot of boiling water until just softened on the exterior, but well shy of al dente, and still uncooked in the center (2 to 3 minutes less than the package directs). Using tongs, transfer pasta to sauce, along with 1/2 cup (120ml) pasta cooking water. Alternatively, drain pasta using a colander or fine-mesh strainer, making sure to reserve at least 1 cup (240ml) pasta cooking water.
• Increase heat to high and cook, stirring and tossing rapidly, until pasta is al dente and sauce coats noodles and just pools around the edges of the pan, about 2 minutes, adding more pasta cooking water in 1/4 cup (60ml) increments as needed. Add raisins and pine nuts (if using), half of the breadcrumbs (1/4 cup; 30g), and toss to combine. Pasta should be well-coated but not swimming in sauce (this dish is meant to have a slightly drier consistency than typical sauced pastas). Adjust sauce consistency as needed with more pasta water if it seems too dry, or an additional small handful of breadcrumbs if it seems too loose. Remove from heat, divide pasta between individual serving bowls, sprinkle with remaining breadcrumbs, and serve right away.

SPAGHETTI WITH WALNUTS AND ANCHOVIES

Steps:

• Begin heating a large pot of water over high heat. Meanwhile, lightly toast the walnuts on a baking sheet in a 375-degree oven for just a few minutes until fragrant, or in a pan over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. When the walnuts smell like they're beginning to toast, remove them from the heat and transfer to a clean dish towel. Wrap them in the towel, and rub between your hands to remove some of the papery shells. Chop the nuts medium-fine, and set aside.
• In a wide, heavy skillet or saucepan large enough to accommodate the cooked spaghetti, heat the oil over medium heat and add the garlic. Cook, stirring, until it begins to sizzle, and add the anchovies. Cook, mashing the anchovies with the back of your spoon or with a fork, for about 30 seconds until they begin to fall apart and melt into the oil. Add the walnuts, stir together for about a minute and remove from the heat.
• When the water comes to a boil, salt generously and add the spaghetti. Cook al dente, following the timing recommendations on the package but checking about a minute before the indicated time. When the pasta is almost done, add 1/4 cup of the pasta water to the pan with the walnuts and anchovies, and reheat over medium heat.
• When the pasta is ready, drain and toss with the walnut and anchovy mixture. Add the parsley, adjust salt if necessary and add pepper. Serve, passing the pecorino at the table.

CHRISTMAS EVE SPAGHETTI WITH ANCHOVIES

Steps:

• Bring water to a boil for the spaghetti. Cook till al dente.
• Meantime, heat a heavy skillet (cast iron)and saute the bread crumbs till golden brown. Remove and set aside.
• Heat oils till very warm. Add the anchovies to the warm oil. Turn up the heat and simmer till the anchovies disintegrate.
• Drain the spaghetti but leave very wet.
• Pour the oil/anchovy mixture over and toss.
• Sprinkle with the browned bread crumbs.
• My kids used to call this "dirty worms".