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Midnight Pasta With Garlic, Anchovy, Capers and Red Pepper

Name: Midnight Pasta With Garlic, Anchovy, Capers and Red Pepper
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: ½ lb spaghetti; sal t; 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; 4 garlic cloves; 4 anchovy filets; 1 tbsp capers; ½ tsp red pepper flakes; 2 tbsp chopped parsley; parmesan for grating

via cooking.nytimes.com

Italianfishdinner20 min 2

There’s something about pasta, cooked properly, that trumps all the other possibilities. And the smell of pasta boiling is a heady cheap thrill. With a few basic staple pantry items, a true feast can be ready in minutes. Good spaghetti, good olive oil, garlic and a little red pepper are all you need, plus some anchovy and capers if you have them.

method

1
Put the spaghetti in a large pot of well-salted rapidly boiling water and cook only until firmly al dente. (Depending on the brand of pasta, this will be 8 to 10 minutes, but check frequently to see. )
2
While the pasta is cooking, warm the olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute, without letting it brown. Stir in the anchovies, capers and red pepper and cook for a half-minute more, then turn off the heat.
3
Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Pour in the garlic mixture, add the parsley, if using, and toss well to coat. Serve with grated Parmesan if desired.