So give me pasta and TV…

Most Sundays see me at home alone - my parents both work, and usually my brother does as well. So for lunch I decided to make a dish that I was sure they'd all hate.

137. Pasta with Anchovy Sauce (One & Two)

Earlier this year, I made Nigella's bigoli con salsa (pasta with anchovy sauce), from Feast, and we all hated it - it just didn't have enough of an anchovy taste. The onion-garlic taste took over and it was all a bit feral. For that reason, I wasn't in a rush to make this version.

However, this version is different. The Feast pasta involves cooking up processed onions and garlic with oil, and then adding milk and anchovies before tossing it through pasta. The How to Eat one has you slowly cook finely sliced onions in Marsala, (much like the delicious Onion Tart) before adding milk-soaked anchovies and more milk.

I made a bit of a boo-boo, and let the onions burn slightly crisp, instead of melting into an oniony mush. But it was already 2pm, and I was hungry, so I powered on regardless. I love the deep brown colour the sauce turns when you add the milk.


Sauce


Pasta with Onion and Anchovies - the colour kinda makes it look like Penang char mee (fried noodles), but the taste is different.

Well, this version is miles better than the feral Feast one. The anchovy taste is pronounced (yay), and the onions are delicious, not overpowering. Unfortunately the burnt taste did come through, and it felt a bit powdery, but it wasn't the end of the world. I'd definitely try making this one again; I'm sure my mum would love the strong anchovy taste.

I ate it whilst watching I Am Not An Animal on DVD. Hilarious!


Pasta and TV