Linguine With Caramelized Onions And Anchovies Food

CARAMELIZED SHALLOT PASTA

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium high. Add shallots and thinly sliced garlic, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallots have become totally softened and caramelized with golden-brown fried edges, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Add red-pepper flakes and anchovies. (No need to chop the anchovies; they will dissolve on their own.) Stir to melt the anchovies into the shallots, about 2 minutes.
• Add tomato paste and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly to prevent any scorching, until the tomato paste has started to cook in the oil a bit, caramelizing at the edges and going from bright red to a deeper brick red color, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer about half the mixture to a resealable container, leaving the rest behind. (These are your leftovers to be used elsewhere: in another batch of pasta or smeared onto roasted vegetables, spooned over fried eggs or spread underneath crispy chicken thighs.)
• To serve, cook pasta according to package instructions in a large pot of salted boiling water until very al dente (perhaps more al dente than usual). Transfer to Dutch oven with remaining shallot mixture (or a skillet if you are using the leftover portion) and 1 cup pasta water. Cook over medium-high heat, swirling the skillet to coat each piece of pasta, using a wooden spoon or spatula to scrape up any bits on the bottom, until pasta is thick and sauce has reduced and is sticky, but not saucy, 3 to 5 minutes.
• In a small bowl, combine parsley and finely chopped garlic clove, and season with flaky salt and pepper. Divide pasta among bowls, or transfer to one large serving bowl, and top with parsley mixture and a bit more red-pepper flakes, if you like.

SPAGHETTI WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS, ANCHOVIES, AND TOASTED-GARLIC BREADCRUMBS

Steps:

• Pulse bread in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add crushed garlic, and cook until golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Add breadcrumbs and 1 tablespoon oil, and stir until well coated. Season with salt, and cook until breadcrumbs are crisp and golden brown. Place on a rimmed baking sheet lined with paper towels to drain. Discard garlic, and let breadcrumbs cool completely.
• Heat 3 tablespoons oil in each of 2 large skillets over medium heat. Divide onions between skillets, and cook, stirring frequently, until caramelized and golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. (Add a little more oil if necessary.) Combine cooked onions in 1 skillet. Add sliced garlic, and cook over medium heat until golden, about 3 minutes. Add anchovies and red-pepper flakes, and cook for 2 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cook spaghetti according to package directions in salted water. Drain, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid. Transfer spaghetti to skillet, and toss well. Add reserved cooking liquid, parsley, and butter, and season with salt and pepper. Mix well, then top with breadcrumbs, and garnish with parsley.

PASTA WITH CARAMELIZED PEPPERS, ANCHOVIES AND RICOTTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook, according to package instructions, until the pasta is just al dente.
• As pasta cooks, heat a large sauté pan over medium-high, and add 3 tablespoons olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the anchovies and rosemary, and sauté until the anchovies start to dissolve, about 1 minute. Add the garlic and red-pepper flakes, and sauté until the garlic turns pale golden in spots, about 1 to 2 minutes.
• Add the bell peppers and a large pinch of salt to the pan, and sauté until the bell peppers are very soft and well caramelized, 10 to 15 minutes, lowering the heat if the peppers start becoming too dark. Add the wine (or water) and the butter, and sauté, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Taste and season with lemon juice and more salt as needed.
• Put 1/4 cup ricotta and the scallions in a large serving bowl, and season aggressively with black pepper.
• Use a coffee mug or measuring cup to scoop about 1/2 cup pasta water from the pot. Drain the pasta, then add it to the bowl with the ricotta and scallions, tossing well. Add the bell pepper mixture and the herbs, and toss well, adding a splash or two of pasta water if the mixture looks dry. Taste and season with more salt if needed.
• Spoon pasta into bowls, and top with dollops of the remaining 1/4 cup ricotta, a drizzle of oil and a little Parmesan, if you like. Shower torn herb leaves over all.