Long Hot Pepper and Anchovy Pasta
Anchovies have been part of Italian pasta sauces for generations, but I'd never cooked with them myself. I expected them to stand out, but instead they melted into the olive oil, adding a rich, savory depth without making the pasta taste fishy. In this recipe I make a simple pasta with long hot peppers, garlic, anchovies, and Pecorino Romano from start to finish.
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes
Total Time
25 minutes
Servings
2
Watch the Video
Ingredients
- 8 oz (225 g) spaghetti or linguine
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4 oil-packed anchovy fillets
- 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 2–3 long hot peppers, sliced
- ½ cup (45 g) finely grated Pecorino Romano, plus more for serving
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Reserved pasta water, as needed
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until just shy of al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water.
- Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the anchovies and cook, stirring, until they dissolve into the oil.
- Add the garlic and long hot peppers. Cook until the peppers soften and the garlic is fragrant, 3–4 minutes.
- Add a splash of pasta water, then the pasta. Toss until coated.
- Remove from the heat and toss in the Pecorino Romano, adding more pasta water until the sauce looks glossy.
- Taste before adding much salt—the anchovies and Pecorino are already salty. Finish with black pepper.
Chef’s Notes
If you've avoided anchovies because you thought they'd overpower the dish, this is the pasta that changed my mind. They should disappear into the oil, not sit on the plate as fillets. This is the pepper-and-anchovy pasta; the mushroom version uses the same idea with caramelized mushrooms and breadcrumbs.
Equipment Used
- Large pot
- Large skillet
- Tongs