There needs to be more anchovy pasta in the world
Nowhere do I like anchovies more than in this pasta dish. Minced garlic and anchovies slowly cooked in olive oil and tossed with added breadcrumbs to soak up the oil and provide a bit of texture. Since I’m American and can’t help putting cheese on everything, I mixed the toasted breadcrumbs with a good portion of grated Parmesan cheese. The end result is a rich and tasty anchovy pasta that is delicious, healthy and surprisingly easy to throw together for a quick meal.
The simplicity of this anchovy pasta dish best showcases the flavors of the ingredients being used. Feel free to tweak here and there to suit your tastes. Add some lemon for tartness or sprinkle on the red chili flakes for spice. I added additional protein in the form of white fish like lemon sole or John Dory. Simply cook the fish in white wine to make it more of a meal. If this is too much faff for you then just omit it. This anchovy pasta is a filling meal on its own. Make it anyway you please but just don’t forget – you want anchovies on that!
Don’t fear the anchovy
I’ll admit it. At first, I was one of the naivete who was scared of the small, oily fish. But, my husband being British, there is no way to avoid it – or any other variety of tinned fish (he has quite the collection, one for every mood). Despite my wariness, after one salty bite, all those prejudices were stricken from my mind and I was smitten. For those in the know-how, nothing adds the umami flavor to something dull like anchovies. Now, not only do I now request them on my pizza but I’ll happily chop them up and add them to marinades and pasta dishes. Bonus points, they are also good for you! So, eat up!
Tempting Anchovy Pasta with Parmesan Breadcrumbs
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: Serves 3-4 1x
Description
Anchovy pasta with white fish cooked in a white wine & garlic sauce then tossed with Parmesan cheese & breadcrumbs. A quick and healthy meal. #fish #pasta #quickmeals #healthyrecipes
Ingredients
- 9 cloves of garlic (minced)
- 5–6 anchovy fillets (minced)
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) white wines
- 400 g uncooked spaghetti
- 1–2 large boneless fillets of John Dory or lemon sole (about 300–500 g / 10–18 oz)
- lemon wedges (for garnish)
- red chili flakes (for garnish)
Breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/3 cup Italian breadcrumbs
- 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- In a nonstick frying pan, heat 2 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat. Add breadcrumbs and toss in olive oil until everything is evenly coated. Continue cooking until everything is lightly toasted. Be watchful as it has a tendency to burn quickly.
- Remove from heat and let cool.
- When cool, add Parmesan cheese and mix until everything is evenly combined. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, in a large pot bring water to boil. Add spaghetti and cook until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- In a large pan, combine minced garlic, minced anchovies and olive oil together. Cook on low/medium-low heat for 5-8 minutes until the garlic and anchovies have infused into the oil. Be careful not to burn as minced garlic burns a lot quicker than sliced garlic.
- Add white wine and turn heat to high. Stir together and let bubble for a minute or two.
- Add fish fillet(s) and spoon sauce over the top. Cover and reduce heat to a consistent simmer (should be medium or low heat but this depends on the individual stovetop).
- Cook fish for 3-5 minutes on each side. The more you flip it, the more likely it will be to fall apart so try to only flip it once.
- When fish is cooked, remove from pan and transfer to a plate.
- Drain spaghetti and toss in remaining garlic/anchovy/white wine sauce. Toss until everything is coated evenly in the sauce.
- Finally, add cheesy breadcrumbs and toss until evenly combined.
- Dish onto individual plates and top with fish. Garnish with red chili flakes and a wedge of lemon.
Notes
Always make sure to salt your pasta water! My recommendation is 1 tbsp of sea salt to every 2 liters of water. It should taste like salty soup. Always taste the water before adding uncooked pasta.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 20
- Category: Pasta, Fish
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: anchovy, garlic, white wine, fish, spaghetti, breadcrumbs, olive oil, pasta
More spicy fish recipes to try:
John Dory poached in Tomato and Chili Broth
Spicy Seafood Linguine cooked with White Wine
Indian Spiced Fish Cakes with Yogurt Mint Sauce
I’ve made a Jamie Oliver anchovy spaghetti dish previously, which was too pugnant and involved melting the parmesan rind. On the other hand, I managed to make this particular recipe whilst also making some home made meatballs for my fussy 8 year old, and it was morish. The accompanying tomatoes and feta in an olive oil and balsamic dressing, with white fish topping the spaghetti from the pictures were the perfect choices. I also shared a garlic bread with some extra mozerrella, parmesan and parsley scattered over the top with my dining buddy. Surprisingly, there’s room for pudding! I even checked the cupboard for another tin of anchovies after making this. I will making this again!
★★★★★
So happy you liked it! We should definitely eat more anchovy pasta. Also, your garlic bread description has got me salivating.🤤