You will see my store cupboard essentials and slap bang at the top of the list are anchovies. And last night I made a store cupboard, credit crunching pasta dish, that was delicious and anchovy-tastic.
First off, I'm not really a pasta kind of girl, but it is cheap and quick (like an ex-boyfriend of mine) and when treated in the correct manner it is everything you can ask for in a meal: filling, soothing, flavoursome, versatile, fresh and messy, in a sexy way. I think pasta is worth spending a little extra money on and where possible, it's nice to make at home. I don't go for the basic stuff because when it's cooked it's too flimsy and flabby. Instead, I tend to go for the real Italian brands and there is nothing wrong with dried as long as it's quality. In fact, a lasagne holds better using dried rather than fresh pasta. Fresh pasta is fantastic though, simply because it so darn quick to cook. 2 minutes and Bob's your uncle (incidentally, I do actually have an Uncle Robert.)
So back to last night.
I ALWAYS tend to have a tin of anchovies knocking around my cupboard. I love them and can't see what all the whinging fuss is about. Actually, that is one of my biggest bugbears. People hating or being squeamish about fish-are they kidding ???!!! We live on a bloody island, we have so much great produce all around us! Shheessh. So before I go off on one, back to the sauce.
As I was saying, anchovies are great because they add a real punchy depth to a dish when cooked. I personally could eat the marinated ones by the bucket but for a dish like this, anchovies in olive oil are perfect. I took three fillets and chopped them finely. I also rinsed a tablespoon of capers and chopped those too. Next, I took some garlic(how much is up to you, i used half a clove) and thinly sliced it (ever seen Goodfellas? Think of the scene in prison when they're making a tomato sauce. The guy cuts it wafer thing with a razor blade, that's what I'm after.) I heated some olive oil in a pan and added my anchovies and garlic. The anchovies melt and as the garlic is so thin it practically disintegrates as well. I forgot to say that you need to put the water for the pasta on to boil. I would suggest using linguine for this but I already had fresh parpadelle in the fridge. Cook to instructions. If using dried rather than fresh, I would recommend cooking the sauce after you'd put the pasta in to cook. Once the pasta is cooked, al dente is best, drain and transfer to your saucepan with your anchovies and garlic. Add the capers and some chopped, fresh parsley. Toss the pasta in the sauce and there is your supper.
Enjoy whilst watching an old episode of Frasier or whilst laughing at Tyra Banks as she explains to a group of desperate, carb-deprived girls how to make their eyes 'pop'. Serves 1 couch potato.
Here is Caroline and I with the man himself. Like utter groupies, we went armed with our Big Fat Duck Cookbooks and asked him to sign them. He did and was very gracious and very down to earth. Not at all pretentious and I am finding that with the more chefs I meet , my pre-conceptions of them are being blown out of the water. I think that some of the best I have met have the most patience and understanding so there is no need to be arrogant w*nkers! In fact, the ones with the least talent usually have the biggest chip on their shoulder.
