Christmas Eve Sicilian Anchovy Pasta Recipes

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.

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.

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".

SICILIAN ANCHOVY PASTA

Steps:

• I dont remember how big the anchovy cans are, but they are those little oblong cans twith the fillets in olive oil.
• Cook pasta, open the anchovy cans and use the olive oil in them to coat the pasta so it doesnt stick together. set aside.
• Add more olive oil to a skillet, enough to coat all the pasta well later on. (Not much since it is already coated).
• Saute the garlic and onions in the olive oil.
• Add the chopped ahchovies and a good bit of pepper. (a lot of black pepper is good in this).
• Pour the mixture over pasta and mix well to coat all the pasta, serve as it is with no cheese or other toppings.
• **If you add fresh chopped basil and a touch of lemon juice, it completely changes the dish. I like both of them.**.